OSAKA -- Reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight champion Masamori Tokuyama is to receive a special award for his contribution to sport from Osaka Mayor Takafumi Isomura.
Tokuyama, a pro-Pyongyang Korean resident of the western Japan city, defeated 12th-ranked challenger Eric Lopez of Mexico by technical knockout to successfully defend his WBC crown for the fifth time in Saitama last month.
The award ceremony will take place Friday. Other recipients of the award include Akinori Nishizawa and Hiroaki Morishima of J. League second division side Cerezo Osaka, who helped Japan reach the second round of this summer's World Cup finals.