Mizuki Hiruta closed her first year fighting in the United States by defending her WBO junior bantamweight title for the sixth time.
Hiruta defended her title by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Gloria Gallardo on Saturday night at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. The three scores were 100-90.
Hiruta, a 29-year-old southpaw, started by being evasive, as Gallardo looked to press the action moving forward. Hiruta established her range and didn’t allow Gallardo to get past the distance created by her jab.
The second was more of the same, with Hiruta beginning to time Gallardo as she plodded in. Hiruta landed a straight left hand that wobbled Gallardo backward in the fifth round almost at the bell.
By the seventh round, the accurate punches of Hiruta had shown their effect on Gallardo. Hiruta landed a straight left hand that immediately brought blood from Gallardo’s nose. Gallardo would see the final bell, but her face was bloodied and both fighters' tops were blood-stained from the damage Hiruta inflicted – especially in the final two rounds.
In January, Tokyo’s Hiruta – who now trains with Manny Robles in Los Angeles – made her US debut. Saturday’s win marked her fourth fight in the United States and her sixth defense of the title.
Hiruta improved to 10-0 (2 KOs). Gallardo, 31, is now 16-4-3 (7 KOs), after losing her past two title fights.
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
