By Jake Donovan
Shingo Wake can now look forward to a title shot before year's end, thanks to a virtuoso performance in outpointing Mike Tawatchai over 12 rounds Wednesday evening in Tokyo, Japan.
Scores were 119-108 (twice) and 118-109 in favor of the local southpaw who was in control throughout, even throwing in a late knockdown for good measure.
Despite the landslide scores, Wake had knockout on his mind all the way. The 27-year old had stopped each of his past six opponents and was determined to make a major statement in gunning for a future title shot. Tawatchai barely managed to hear the final bell, having to climb off the canvas after Wake landed a right hook, straight left combination in the final 10 seconds of the bout.
With more time on the clock, perhaps Wake could have closed the show. Tawatchai made it to his feet and extend the bout to the scorecards, but comes up well short on the road in falling to 35-8-1 (21KOs). The loss ends a nine-fight win streak, with his last defeat also having taken place in Japan.
As for Wake, the resurgent contender gets to sit back and wait for his shot at a junior featherweight belt. The win is his ninth straight dating back to 2012 as he improves to 19-4-2 (11KOs).
Next up is a crack at unbeaten junior featherweight titlist Carl Frampton, who first heads stateside for a July 18 voluntary defense versus Mexico's Alejandro Gonzalez, Jr. Assuming he wins—and doesn't subsequently dump the belt in the nearest trash receptacle—negotiations will begin immediately thereafter, with the mandatory title fight versus Wake due by late November.
On the undercard, Hisashi Amagasa picked up a unanimous decision win over Thailand's Patomsith Pathompothong (12-4, 5KOs) in their 10-round featherweight bout.
Scores were 99-91, 98-91 and 98-92 in favor of Amagasa (29-5-2, 19KOs). The bout was his first trip back in the ring since his knockout loss to World junior featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux last New Year's eve. Amagasa floored Rigondeaux twice, but was dropped himself and eventually stopped in 11 rounds. The bout was his lone trip to junior featherweight, returning to featherweight for Wednesday's win.
The show will air via tape delay Thursday morning (2:53 a.m. local time) on TBS-Japan. Wake-Tawatchai aired live on Mono 29 in Thailand and on its official website.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox