Results from Japan: Gonzalez Knocks out Hasegawa, Wins WBC Title (Video)

Former WBO bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (48-7, 42 KO) knocked out WBC featherweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (29-4, 12 KO) in the fourth round to win the title earlier today at the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.

It was set to be Hasegawa's first defense after winning the title in November when he won a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten boxer Juan Carlos Burgos. That victory followed a fourth round knockout loss to former top 10 pound-for-pound fighter Fernando Montiel.

The 29-year-old Mexican-born boxer was being outboxed early on but landed a right hand to knock down the boxer fighting in front of his hometown. Hasegawa was able to beat the count but the referee waved off the bout after he decided he shouldn't continue.

Hasegawa was previously ranked 11th in the division by Ring Magazine. With the win, Gonzalez should emerge back into the top 10 of the division.

It was one of three title fights on the card, which all featured Japanese champions in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

On the undercard, Takahiro Ao (22-2-1, 10 KO) defended his WBC super-featherweight title when he knocked out Humberto Gutierrez (28-2-1) in the fourth round due to a body shot. It was his first defense of the title.

Toshiaki Nishioka (38-4-3, 24 KO) defended his WBC super-bantamweight championship for the fifth time since winning it in 2008 after knocking out Mauricio Javier Munoz (21-3). Nishioka also has a win over Gonzalez—a third round knockout in 2009. He has been unbeaten since 2004.

The top fighters in the super-bantamweight division include Hugo Cazares (34-6-2, 24 KO), Tomas Rojas (35-12-1, 23 KO) and Omar Narvaez (33-0-2, 19 KO). Nishioka and Ao will be looking to emerge as a top-10 fighters in the division and will need to take on another opponent or two before getting a shot at one of the best.

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