Cho In-Joo vs. Hong Chang-Soo: "Ring of Square"

Amid a mood of reconciliation between South and North Korea, South Korean WBC super flyweight champion Cho In-Joo, 30, clashed with challenger Hong Chang-Soo, 26. Hong is A third generation Korean living in Japan, and belongs to the pro-Pyongyang Chochongnyon or Korean residents` association in Japan.

The event was held at the Public Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan, Sunday.

From start to finish in this world title bout, the South and the North became one. The once rival Korean residents in Japan from Mindan, the pro-Seoul association, and Chochongnyon, waved the national flags of the South and the North and the Korean peninsula flag all together.

Yet, every contest has a winner and a loser. Cho and Hong made it a fair contest. The winner was Hong, who aggressively attacked the champion from the start of the match.

Stopping champion Cho in his sixth defense attempt of the title, Hong won a unanimous decision to become the first-ever world pro boxing champion with North Korean nationality.

Hong has recorded 22 wins (including five KO victories) and one draw against two losses to surge to new stardom in the world of pro boxing.

Yang Jong-Koo yjongk@donga.com