By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Former WBC International flyweight champion Ryan Bito has lost a unanimous eight round decxision to promising Japanese super flyweight Yohei Tobe at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

The 25 year old Bito who won the WBC title with a 10th round TKO of Saengmuangloei Kokietgym on July 31, 2010 and lost the crown in his first defense against former world champion Edgar Sosa by a 10th round TKO on September 11, 2010 was out-boxed by Tobe with all three judges scoring it for the Japanese by comfortable margins of 80-72, 79-74 and 79-75.

With the win the 24 year old Tobe improved to 4-0 with 2 knockouts while the far more experienced 25 year old Bito dropped to 21-9-3 with 7 knockouts.

Tobe was a former two-time national amateur champion who made an immediate impression in his debut as a pro when he took just 70 seconds to stop Korea’s super flyweight -Ki Jung. He followed this up with a 2nd round knockout of Thai veteran and former WBC light flyweight and minimum weight interim champion Wandee Singwancha on June 13, 2011.

Tobe’s most impressive win was against fellow Japanese two-time world title challenger Kohei Kono, who lost a close bout with Nobuo Nashiro.One report said that although Kono, at 30 was the more experienced fighter he was made to look amateurish at times as he charged in only to be caught by uppercuts and jabs by the intelligent and much taller Tobe who took a close but unanimous decision over 8 rounds.

Whilst Tobe's 2011 has been an amazing rise from amateur star to genuinely exciting prospect what’s maybe most amazing is that Tobe is currently ranked at #22 with the WBC after just 3 fights.