Retsuri Lee won a unanimous decision Saturday to successfully claim the title from WBA super bantamweight champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.
Lee, a South Korean resident of Japan taking his first crack at a world title, used an effective short jab to wear down the Thai boxer as the fight progressed at Korakuen Hall. He improved to 17-1-1.
"I put everything on the line for this fight," Lee said. "It's a great feeling to get the belt. I was able to use my style and the strategy went as planned. I said that I would overcome all the odds against me and I'm happy I did it. I want to continue to be a man of my word."