THE Philippines had mixed results in two boxing matches against Japan on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at the Sumiyoshi Ward Center in Osaka, Japan.
Argelou Samson scored an impressive win, stopping 23-year-old Japanese boxer Hinata Nakazato in the second round.
Samson, a left-handed fighter, landed strong left punches early in the fight. In the first round, Nakazato suffered a cut above his right eye from a clean punch.
In the second round, Samson delivered a powerful left hook to the back of Nakazato’s ear, knocking him down. Nakazato stood up but looked unsteady and confused, prompting the referee to stop the fight at 1:43 of the round.
With the victory, Samson improved his record to 8 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, including 6 knockouts. Nakazato absorbed his first career loss and now holds a 1-1 record.
Meanwhile, Gerwin Asilo suffered a setback, losing to Japan’s Keita Nakayama by knockout in the fifth round.
Asilo performed well early, moving quickly and landing solid combinations. He controlled most of the fight until the fifth round, when Nakayama turned things around.
Nakayama knocked Asilo down with a strong left hook. Although Asilo got back on his feet, he was dropped again by a straight right punch. He stood up once more, but the referee stopped the fight at 1:57 of the round.
The loss dropped Asilo’s record to 12 wins and 2 losses, with 5 knockouts. Nakayama remained unbeaten at 4-0, with all his wins coming by knockout. / EKA
