Today in Boxing History: Hatanaka decimates Decima in Nagoya

On this day in 1991, Kiyoshi Hatanaka won the WBC Super Bantamweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Pedro Ruben Decima in Nagoya, Japan.

The hard-punching Hatanaka was 21-1-1 going into the bout, his only loss being a decision to then-WBC Super Flyweight champion Gilberto Roman. Decima had won his super bantamweight belt only three months earlier with a fourth-round knockout of Paul Banke. While the bout was close, Hatanaka’s punching power forced the fight to be stopped at the end of the eighth round.

Decima continued to fight until 1993, but never again challenged for a title. Hatanaka defended his belt only once, losing it via a split decision to Daniel Zaragoza. He suffered an eye injury in the bout and retired. Hatanaka currently trains fighters out of his hometown of Nagoya.