The Japanese contender ended Felix Batista’s perfect record with a second-round stoppage to secure a mandatory position for the WBA super featherweight title
Hayato Tsutsumi punched his way into world-title contention on Tuesday, stopping Felix Batista in the second round of their WBA super featherweight eliminator in Tokyo. The victory secured the Japanese contender a shot at the WBA title and ended Batista’s perfect professional record.
The victory improved the unbeaten Japanese contender to 9-0 (7 KOs) and put him in line for a shot at the WBA 130-pound title later this year.
Batista made Tsutsumi work in the opening round, landing several clean punches and finishing the frame aggressively with extra shots after the bell that went unpunished. It was one of the few difficult moments Tsutsumi faced all night.
The momentum shifted quickly in the second round.
The 26-year-old Ring Magazine ambassador patiently broke Batista down with accurate power punching before scoring the first knockdown. Batista beat the count, but Tsutsumi wasted little time putting him back on the canvas with another heavy combination.
With Batista unable to defend himself after the second knockdown, the referee stepped in to stop the contest, giving Tsutsumi a second-round technical knockout victory.
The impressive performance reinforced Tsutsumi’s standing as one of Japan’s top super featherweight prospects and moved him a step closer to his first world championship opportunity. Tsutsumi has previously expressed interest in facing Anthony Cacace as he continues his climb toward the top of the division.
The victory gives Tsutsumi his seventh knockout in nine professional fights and adds another unbeaten opponent to his résumé, while Batista falls to 14-1 after suffering the first loss of his career.