DIAZ UPSETS AO TO WIN WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

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Mexican veteran Gamaliel Diaz (37-9-2, 17 KOs) upset Japan's defending super featherweight champion Takahiro Ao (23-3-1, 10 KO's) to win the WBC super-featherweight title in a bloody battle in Tokyo Saturday night.

All three judges scored the fight for the Mexican challenger. Thailand's Anek Hongtongkam and Glen Rick Crocker of the United States turned in identical scores of 114-112 while Steve Morrow, also of the US had Diaz winner by a wider 115-111 margin.

Diaz bucked two one point deductions by referee Ian John-Lewis of Britain to stage a superb rally to win the last four rounds in a give-and-take affair in which Ao was clearly hampered by blood flowing from a nasty gash over his left eyebrow caused by an accidental head-butt in round three which resulted in Diaz being penalized a point.

The lanky Mexican took command in the fourth round with some stinging right straights and when the WBC rule on the announcement of the scores at the end of four rounds was put into effect Diaz was leading on two scorecards 38-37 and 39-36 while Ao was ahead on one at 38-37.

Diaz was deducted another point for repeated low blows in the fifth round and after the eighth it was still a close contest two judges tallied in favor of Diaz 76-74 while one judge had it by the same margin for Ao.

The 31 year old Diaz was making his third attempt ro win a world title and worked behind a solid jab to frustrate the champion.

Ranked No. 4 by the WBC Diaz, with the win, improved to 37-9 with 17 knockouts while Ao who was once a sparring partner of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera for his two fights with "Fighter of the Decade" Manny Pacquiao dropped to 23-3 with 10 knockouts.

In a post fight interview Diaz said "My dream came true. I was calm from the very first round. I received several heavy punches, but he was unable to knock me out."

The beaten champion conceded he "wasn't strong enough to beat him. I grew intense after my sight became worse. I tried to move forward, but I lost my balance."