FILIPINO PUG VINVIN LOST VIA SPLIT DECISION TO JAPANESE MATSUDA FOR VACANT OPBF FEATHER BELT

Filipino champion Vinvin Rufino suffered a heart-breaking loss to Japanese counterpart Naoki Matsuda in a hard-fought split decision (114-111, 114-112 and 111-114) over twelve see-saw rounds on Saturday to failed to win the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation featherweight title  at the fabled Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

The two judges, a Japanese and a Thai scored 114-111, 114-112 for Matsuda while Filipino Rey Danseco gave 111-114 in favor to Vinvin.

The 28 year old Rufino , a southpaw fighter of Johnny Elorde in Sucat, Paranaque City came back furiously to win the sixth, but Matsuda gamely retaliated with determined combinations to be in command in the seventh and eighth. The ninth was dominated by Rufino, and the tenth by Matsuda. Rufino desperately showed his last surge in the last two sessions, but the bloodied Matsuda gallantly fought back with his last energy.

The 33-year old Matsuda raise his ring record of 32-8-3 with 13 knockouts compare to Rufino`s ledger　17-8-3、7KOs.

BY: Marlon Bernardino