Photos: Elwin Soto Bags Questionable Stoppage of Katsunari Takayama

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas - For the WBO junior flyweight world title, Elwin Soto (19-1, 13 KOs) stopped former world champion Katsunari Takayama (32-9, 12 KOs) in the ninth round, but the stoppage seemed controversial to many.

They started fast with both boxers firing big shots. Soto rocked Takayama with a big hook. Takayama was able to survive, but rocked again near the end of the round.

soto-takayama-fight (19)

The second round saw more of the same, with Takayama getting worked over with big punches. In the third, Takayama was unable to make a dent on Soto, who easily took his punches and was walking through them. Takayama was targeting the body and throwing quick shots, but he was moved any time Soto landed.

soto-takayama-fight (14)

Soto's big shots dominated the action in the fourth. In the fifth, Takayama was willing to stay inside and trade, with punches to the body while the bigger hits were landed by Soto. In the sixth, Takayama was doing the Ali-shuffle and throwing very fast punches while once again Soto was connecting with the big punches. He rocked Takayama with a series of shot. And the Japanese veteran recovered and answered back in kind as they were trading punches.

soto-takayama-fight (13)

During the seventh, it was a give and take round. Takayama was throwing and landing a lot of shots. Soto was not bothered by the punches or the volume, but he was able to do some hurt every time he landed. A close eight where both boxers had their moments. Punches were being exchanged in the ninth, with Soto doing more damage. He was landing a bunch of shots and Takayama seemed fine and was firing back - but for whatever reason the referee jumped in and waved off the fight.

soto-takayama-fight (23)