By Jake Donovan

TOKYO, JAPAN -- The clock finally struck midnight on the Cinderella story of Peru's Alberto Rossel, who was manhandled by local favorite Ryoichi Taguchi in their junior flyweight title fight Wednesday evening. 

Scores were 116-110, 116-111 and 117-109 in a fight that really wasn't even that close, as Taguchi was dominant over the course of the night. The bout served in supporting capacity to unbeaten Takashi Uchiyama in a 130 lb. title defense versus Israel Perez. 

Taguchi was in control from the start, justifying the betting odds that had the challenger as the clear-cut favorite. It was hardly an indictment on Rossel, who has enjoyed a tremendous career turnaround; it's just that Taguchi was believed to be that good.

The local favorite lived up to the press clippings, dialing up the pressure after a feel-'em out opening round. Rossel never fully adjusted, falling behind early and getting overwhelmed round after round.

With the fight already in the bag after seven rounds, Taguchi added window dressing with a body shot knockdown in round eight. A perfectly placed left hook to Rossel's ribcage put the soon to be ex-titlist down for the first of two times on the night, as he was back on the canvas in round nine.

Rossel was brave down the stretch, even if not to the point of actually winning rounds. At the very least, the Peruvian could take pride in going out on his shield.

What he could not take was his junior flyweight belt out of the ring, as the night belonged to his opponent in that regard.

Taguchi racks up his third straight win as he improves to 21-2-1 (9KOs). The Tokyo native is the only fighter to date to extend current two-division champ Naoya Inoue the full distance, going 10 hard rounds in a losing effort with the prodigious boxer last August.

Rossel falls to 32-9 (13KOs) with the loss, his first in more than four years. Gone along with his belt is an eight-fight win streak, which began shortly after a failed title bid versus then-World junior flyweight king Hugo Cazares on the road in Mexico. The diminutive boxer has struggled outside of Peru, having lost in his last four fights away from home. 

The bout aired live on TV Peru, and via same-day tape-delay on TV Tokyo in Japan.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox