Eduardo 'Sugar' Nunez claimed the IBF Super Featherweight title on Wednesday morning in Japan. The Mexican fighter from Sinaloa outworked Japanese champion Masanori Rikiishi to secure a unanimous decision victory.
Judges scored the bout 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111 in favor of Nunez. The new champion pressed the action for most of the fight, using an aggressive style that kept Rikiishi on the defensive.
Nunez, who now boasts a record of 28 wins with 27 knockouts and just one loss, employed a relentless pressure-fighting approach. He attacked Rikiishi's lower areas, landed powerful uppercuts, and connected with blows to the face throughout the contest.
For ten rounds, 'Sugar' controlled the pace of the fight. In the later stages, he eased off, feeling confident he had done enough to secure the victory. Rikiishi, true to Japanese boxing tradition, stood up to the punishment but couldn't turn the tide.
After the fight, Nunez celebrated his hard-earned victory. He dedicated his win to his brother on Instagram and shared a video call with his family.
"I am very happy, satisfied with the work we did tonight. We have worked 10, 13 years for this moment and thank God it came, we took the opportunity."
This victory marks a significant milestone in Nunez's career. He earned his shot at the title after a impressive win over former world champion Shavkat Rakhimov in February last year, stopping him by TKO in the 11th round.
With this triumph, Nunez becomes the sixth current Mexican champion across different boxing divisions, further cementing Mexico's strong presence in the sport.
