Thailand’s Pongsaklek stops Japan’s Masuda to retain WBC’s interim flyweight title

Pongsaklek retains WBC interim flyweight title

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Thailand’s Pongsaklek Wonjongkam retained the WBC’s interim flyweight title with a sixth-round TKO of Japan’s Takahisa Masuda on Friday.

Referee Brad Vocale stopped the bout 1 minute and six seconds into the round after a flurry of punches by the Thai fighter.

The 32-year-old Pongaklek proved too strong in the 77th bout of his professional career.

The Thai won the WBC’s flyweight title in 2001 and defended it 17 times before losing a decision to Japan’s Daisuke Naito in 2007. He reclaimed the interim title in April with a decision over Mexico’s Julio Cesar Miranda.

This was 30-year-old Masuda’s first fight outside Japan and his first shot at an international title.