Challenger Hidenori Otake suffered a first-round TKO loss in a WBO super bantamweight title bout Saturday when he fell to Ghana's Isaac Dogboe in Arizona.
Otake was knocked down twice and continuously pounded by the 2012 Olympian at the Gila River Arena before the referee called an end to the fight in 2 minutes, 18 seconds.
The 25-year-old Dogboe, who was making his first title defense, became the youngest Ghanaian to successfully retain his crown.
The win moved Dogboe to 20-0, including 14 knockouts. Otake dropped to 31 wins, including 14 KOs, three draws and three defeats.
Otake was fighting for the world title for the first time since he lost a 12-round decision to then WBA champion Scott Quigg in November 2014.
Had he won his second world title opportunity, at 37 years and 1 month, Otake would have become the oldest Japanese fighter to win a world title.