MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxer Vinvin Rufino suffered a heart-breaking loss to Japanese Naoki Matsuda in a hard-fought split decision (114-111, 114-112 and 111-114) over 12 rounds on Saturday.

Rufino, 28, failed to win the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) featherweight title at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
 
The two judges, Japanese Kazuo Abe and Thai Pinit Prayadsab scored 114-112 and 114-111, respectively, for Matsuda while Filipino Rey Danseco gave 111-114 in favor of Vinvin.
 
Vinvin, a southpaw fighter of Johnny Elorde in Sucat, Paranaque City, came back to win the 6th round, but Matsuda retaliated with determined combinations to be in command in the 7th and 8th.

The 9th was dominated by Rufino, and the 10th by Matsuda. Rufino desperately showed his last surge in the last 2 rounds, but the bloodied Matsuda gallantly fought back.
 
The 33-year old Matsuda raised his ring record to 32-8-3 (with 13 knockouts) compared to Rufino’s ledger of 17-8-3 (with 7 KOs). – by Marlon Bernardino