Etsuko Tada defeated Kayoko Ebata on Saturday to win the WBO women's minimumweight world championship.
The 37-year-old Tada overcame a knockdown to win a unanimous decision at Edion Arena Osaka over the 42-year-old Ebata, who failed in her second title defense. Tada has previously been minimumweight champion of two other sanctioning bodies, the IBF and WBA.
Tada came into the bout nursing a left ankle-injury she suffered in training three weeks earlier.
"I had very little strength," Tada said, and added with a laugh, "This win is a miracle, and I want to thank my left ankle for it."
Ebata said she was not ready for the combinations that her left-handed opponent threw at her.
"I was too focused on that left," Ebata said. "Simply put, she was the strongest one."