By Keith Idec

It wasn’t nearly as easy or conclusive for Jezreel Corrales this time, but he’ll leave Japan with the WBC super featherweight title again.

Panama’s Corrales defeated Japan’s Takashi Uchiyama by split decision in their closely contested, 12-round rematch Saturday in Tokyo. Judges Cesar Ramos (115-112), of Puerto Rico, and Philippe Verbeke (117-110), of Belgium, scored the fight for Corrales. A third judge, Australia’s Derek Milham, had Uchiyama ahead after 12 rounds (114-113).

Their New Year’s Eve rematch took place eight months after Corrales’ stunning second-round technical knockout of Uchiyama on April 27 at Ota-City General Gymnasium, also the site of their rematch.

Though it lacked action, this tactical battle was much more competitive than Verbeke’s scorecard indicated and included numerous rounds that were tough to score.

The powerful Uchiyama (24-2-1, 20 KOs) knocked down Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs, 1 NC) with a short left hook late in the fifth round Saturday, but it seemed to be a flash knockdown with about eight seconds left in the round. Corrales got right to his feet, didn’t appear all that hurt and the round ended soon thereafter.

A tiring Corrales, 25, went to the canvas once apiece in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds, but each instance was ruled a push or a slip by referee Mark Nelson.

Unlike their first fight, in which Corrales floored Uchiyama three times in the second round, the southpaw didn’t seem to truly hurt Uchiyama with any of his punches Saturday. He knocked the 37-year-old Uchiyama backward a few times, most notably in the first round, but those seemed to be balance issues more than anything.

Their rematch was far different from their first fight.

Uchiyama entered that bout as a 6-1 favorite, but Corrales dropped him three times in the second round to take the WBC 130-pound championship Uchiyama had held for six years and defended 12 times.

Corrales’ straight left hand floored Uchiyama the first time. Uchiyama got up, only to have the left-handed Corrales floor him again with a left-right combination shortly thereafter.

A staggered Uchiyama made it to his feet again, but referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight after another Corrales left knocked down Uchiyama a third time just before the end of the second round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.