Some fights just click as soon as the men get in to the ring. Other unfortunately don't. Whether it's the individuals involved or the styles of the men some fights just fail to come alive. We had one of those forgettable contest late on Saturday as Argentina's excellent Omar Andres Narvaez (41-1-2, 22) took on a less than inspiring David Carmona (16-2-4, 8) in what was a hugely frustrating contest for both fans and Narvaez.
The first round set the tone for much of the bout as Carmona backed away repeatedly from Narvaez. It was obvious within about 30 seconds that Carmona lacked the belief that he could win, in fact he looked like he wasn't even sure he deserved to be in a world title fight. Unfortunately the negativity of Carmona made him very hard for Narvaez to get to and through many of the early rounds.
Through 4 rounds there was little to really report, Carmona had slipped twice but avoided much of a fight. Narvaez had chased a fight but was up against an unwilling dance partner. Thankfully though Narvaez was getting closer and closer and he was gradually getting more successful as his pressure began to pay off.
In round 6 Narvaez's pressure finally took it's toll as he managed to drop Carmona who was slow to get up From then on it seemed like it was only a matter of time with Narvaez's shots taking their toll on the challenger. Thankfully the corner of Carmona realised that their man had little to offer and in round 7 they waved the towel putting fans out of their misery.
For a man getting his first chance Carmona looked like a fighter who simply wasn't interested. A real shame considering the opportunity he was given.
Showing posts with label Super Flyweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Flyweight. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Friday, 15 November 2013
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai v Hirofumi Mukai
Srisaket Sor Rungvisia (23-3-1, 21), who made such a statement earlier this year when he destroyed Yota Sato, successfully made the first defense of his WBC Super Flyweight title as he defeated another Japanese fighter, this time Hirofumi Mukai (9-3-1, 1).
Unfortunately for Mukai he proved, like many Japanese fighters, that he was simply too tough for his own good.
The first round saw Mukai starting well for the first 20 seconds or so before Srisaket imposed himself on the fight and forced the Japanese fighter to think twice about opening up. For Mukai it was unfortunate that he wasn't just up against one of the most fierce fighters in the sport but also the crowd who cheered every punch Srisaket landed.
If the first round was bad for Mukai the second was worse with the Japanese fighter being dropped in the opening seconds. Although he got up and continued it wasn't a round he managed to even get a foot hold in as Srisaket pounded him with both hands. The end looked imminent as Srisaket entered "beat mode" and went on the war path.
Surprisingly Mukai managed to navigate his way through rounds 3 and 4 with out too much trouble. It wasn't that he was about to win the rounds or even make them competitive but he wasn't being savaged like one would have expected following the way Srisaket had ended round 2. In fact if anything it seemed like Mukai was managing to slowly build his confidence with some lovely work, though wasn't doing nearly enough to take the round and was being backed up too easily.
After 4 rounds the judges all agreed with the only possible score one could have had the bout, 40-35 in favour of Srisaket.
Having survived rounds 3 and 4 Mukai managed to get everything going in round 5, a round that fought almost entirely in the pocket with both men having success. It was by far the best round for Mukai and one that you wouldn't begrudge giving him, although it did at times appear that Srisaket was tiring somewhat. The success for Mukai in the fifth continued in to the sixth as Mukai began to have the last word in the exchanges, albeit lesser words than those of Srisaket.
Unfortunately for Mukai 2 minutes of good work in round 6 was undone by a huge assault in the final minute by Srisaket who just stole the round on my card as he attempted to put an end to the proceedings. Mukai, who was genuinely hammered late in the round, refused to go down a second time.
If round 6 had ended badly for Mukai then round 7 was nothing more than a continuation of that. Srisaket set off to break Mukai using hard body shots and by the end of the round it appeared the were having a serious effect on the challenger. Mukai had managed to see out the round, but there was little left in the tank.
In the eighth round Mukai must have wished he was in the UK as he was given a genuine beating. His boxing was falling apart, Srisaket was starting to abuse him and I was wondering how he was managing to stay on his feet. By now it was clear Mukai needed a miracle and in boxing they don't tend to happen.
Down by scores of 80-71, 79-72, twice, on the scorecards it really should have been time for Mukai's corner to have saved their brave charge. Instead they sent him out for round 9. It was unnecessary. Within seconds of the round starting Mukai was hurt and Srisaket let loose as he tried to force the referees hand. Unfortunately for Mukai all the referee did was warn Srisaket for hitting and holding. Whilst that bought him some respite in theory it really just prolonged the beating another 30 seconds before Mukai's corner finally threw in the towel.
Oddly this was a bout where both men genuinely impressed me. Mukai could fair very well if he was put in with a lighter puncher, that is if there much of Mukai left mentally after this contest. Srisaket seems to always impress and I've no doubt that he could beat any fighter currently active at 115lbs. He's a genuine monster.
Unfortunately for Mukai he proved, like many Japanese fighters, that he was simply too tough for his own good.
The first round saw Mukai starting well for the first 20 seconds or so before Srisaket imposed himself on the fight and forced the Japanese fighter to think twice about opening up. For Mukai it was unfortunate that he wasn't just up against one of the most fierce fighters in the sport but also the crowd who cheered every punch Srisaket landed.
If the first round was bad for Mukai the second was worse with the Japanese fighter being dropped in the opening seconds. Although he got up and continued it wasn't a round he managed to even get a foot hold in as Srisaket pounded him with both hands. The end looked imminent as Srisaket entered "beat mode" and went on the war path.
Surprisingly Mukai managed to navigate his way through rounds 3 and 4 with out too much trouble. It wasn't that he was about to win the rounds or even make them competitive but he wasn't being savaged like one would have expected following the way Srisaket had ended round 2. In fact if anything it seemed like Mukai was managing to slowly build his confidence with some lovely work, though wasn't doing nearly enough to take the round and was being backed up too easily.
After 4 rounds the judges all agreed with the only possible score one could have had the bout, 40-35 in favour of Srisaket.
Having survived rounds 3 and 4 Mukai managed to get everything going in round 5, a round that fought almost entirely in the pocket with both men having success. It was by far the best round for Mukai and one that you wouldn't begrudge giving him, although it did at times appear that Srisaket was tiring somewhat. The success for Mukai in the fifth continued in to the sixth as Mukai began to have the last word in the exchanges, albeit lesser words than those of Srisaket.
Unfortunately for Mukai 2 minutes of good work in round 6 was undone by a huge assault in the final minute by Srisaket who just stole the round on my card as he attempted to put an end to the proceedings. Mukai, who was genuinely hammered late in the round, refused to go down a second time.
If round 6 had ended badly for Mukai then round 7 was nothing more than a continuation of that. Srisaket set off to break Mukai using hard body shots and by the end of the round it appeared the were having a serious effect on the challenger. Mukai had managed to see out the round, but there was little left in the tank.
In the eighth round Mukai must have wished he was in the UK as he was given a genuine beating. His boxing was falling apart, Srisaket was starting to abuse him and I was wondering how he was managing to stay on his feet. By now it was clear Mukai needed a miracle and in boxing they don't tend to happen.
Down by scores of 80-71, 79-72, twice, on the scorecards it really should have been time for Mukai's corner to have saved their brave charge. Instead they sent him out for round 9. It was unnecessary. Within seconds of the round starting Mukai was hurt and Srisaket let loose as he tried to force the referees hand. Unfortunately for Mukai all the referee did was warn Srisaket for hitting and holding. Whilst that bought him some respite in theory it really just prolonged the beating another 30 seconds before Mukai's corner finally threw in the towel.
Oddly this was a bout where both men genuinely impressed me. Mukai could fair very well if he was put in with a lighter puncher, that is if there much of Mukai left mentally after this contest. Srisaket seems to always impress and I've no doubt that he could beat any fighter currently active at 115lbs. He's a genuine monster.
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Daiki Kameda v Rodrigo Guerrero
It's not often that a fighting family really dominates. Sure in recent years the Klitschko's have thoroughly controlled the Heavyweight division but they've been the only family of note to really dominate in a while.
This past summer however the Kameda brother's have really taken over in the lower divisions. Right now both Tomoki and Koki are Bantamweight title holders and they've just been joined by middle child Daiki (29-3, 18) who successfully became a 2-weight world champion earlier today as he out pointed Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero (19-5-1, 12) for the IBF title.
The fight started in a genuinely tedious manner. Daiki fought with a very unexciting hit-and-run style that whilst won him many of the early rounds didn't make for a very appealing to watch contest. in fact for many of the early rounds it was fair to say that clean action was kept to a minimal with effective singles from Daiki and little of note from Guerrero who struggled to pin down the elusive Japanese fighter.
From the first 5 rounds of the bouts the sole moment of joy for Guerrero appeared to have been a low blow he took that saw Daiki deducted a point. Lets be fair, if a guy getting punched in the nuts is his only highlight you can sort of see the hole he was in come the start of the sixth round.
It as in round 6 that Guerrero began to have his first real success as he managed to take Kameda to the body, almost as if he realised that the head can move but the body can't. It was a sound idea and one that he perhaps should have used from the opening bell rather than waiting several rounds to start with.
The success of Guerrero's grew from a decent round 6 to a very round 8 and 9 as he finally began to connect on Daiki with some regularity. It was only rounds 6-9 that you could make a really strong case for Guerrero winning with out many complaints.
It seemed, going in to round 10, that the success of Guerrero was going to grow and grow and that if continued the fight was going to be very difficult to score. Instead however Daiki seemed to realise he was in a fight and rather than try to move to avoid the pressure he began to stand his ground. The fact Daiki couldn't create the space in round 10 saw him fighting fire-with-fire as the two men traded attacks with Daiki's being a genuine eye as he tried to get Guerrero out of there. The Mexican weathered the storm but was forced to concede the round.
Whilst round 10 had been a fight changer Daiki failed to capitalise on it as he was deducted a second point in round 11 that saw some doubt brought on to the scorecards, he did however do enough to take 19 points from the final 2 rounds and make sure of a decision in his favour, despite what some may think.
Although I struggle to agree with the 117-109 card scored in favour of Daiki, the other two cards 116-110 and 114-112 both feel about right with Daiki certainly deserving the decision but the deductions did make things much closer on the cards than perhaps they should have been.
This past summer however the Kameda brother's have really taken over in the lower divisions. Right now both Tomoki and Koki are Bantamweight title holders and they've just been joined by middle child Daiki (29-3, 18) who successfully became a 2-weight world champion earlier today as he out pointed Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero (19-5-1, 12) for the IBF title.
The fight started in a genuinely tedious manner. Daiki fought with a very unexciting hit-and-run style that whilst won him many of the early rounds didn't make for a very appealing to watch contest. in fact for many of the early rounds it was fair to say that clean action was kept to a minimal with effective singles from Daiki and little of note from Guerrero who struggled to pin down the elusive Japanese fighter.
From the first 5 rounds of the bouts the sole moment of joy for Guerrero appeared to have been a low blow he took that saw Daiki deducted a point. Lets be fair, if a guy getting punched in the nuts is his only highlight you can sort of see the hole he was in come the start of the sixth round.
It as in round 6 that Guerrero began to have his first real success as he managed to take Kameda to the body, almost as if he realised that the head can move but the body can't. It was a sound idea and one that he perhaps should have used from the opening bell rather than waiting several rounds to start with.
The success of Guerrero's grew from a decent round 6 to a very round 8 and 9 as he finally began to connect on Daiki with some regularity. It was only rounds 6-9 that you could make a really strong case for Guerrero winning with out many complaints.
It seemed, going in to round 10, that the success of Guerrero was going to grow and grow and that if continued the fight was going to be very difficult to score. Instead however Daiki seemed to realise he was in a fight and rather than try to move to avoid the pressure he began to stand his ground. The fact Daiki couldn't create the space in round 10 saw him fighting fire-with-fire as the two men traded attacks with Daiki's being a genuine eye as he tried to get Guerrero out of there. The Mexican weathered the storm but was forced to concede the round.
Whilst round 10 had been a fight changer Daiki failed to capitalise on it as he was deducted a second point in round 11 that saw some doubt brought on to the scorecards, he did however do enough to take 19 points from the final 2 rounds and make sure of a decision in his favour, despite what some may think.
Although I struggle to agree with the 117-109 card scored in favour of Daiki, the other two cards 116-110 and 114-112 both feel about right with Daiki certainly deserving the decision but the deductions did make things much closer on the cards than perhaps they should have been.
Denkaosan Kaovichit v Nobuo Nashiro
In a highly entertaining battle for the "interim" WBA Super Flyweight title Thai legend Denkaosan Kaovichit (62-3-1, 26) managed to out box and out point Japanese hard man Nobuo Nashiro (19-6-1, 13), in what is possibly the last major bout either of the men will have.
The bout started well for Kaovichit who used his superior speed in the early rounds to throw and land combinations on his tough but flat footed foe who for the first 2 or 3 rounds really struggled to get into range. Every punch Kaovichit threw seemed to raise cheers from the crowd who were showing their support even when Kaovichit was falling well short with his shots.
It wasn't until the fourth round that Nashiro managed to get any real success as his relentless pressure seemed to begin to pay off. Unfortunately despite the round being much closer than the first few Kaovichit did manage to just do enough to claim it, as he did again in the fifth round. By now though the crowd were becoming more and more subdued, the combinations of Kaovichit had gone and instead they'd been replaced by by singles as he tried to avoid a tear up with Nashiro.
By the start of round 6 it was appearing as if the fight was beginning to turn in the direction of the Japanese fighter who was growing in to the bout. In fact by the end of round 6 Kaovichit was looking every bit of his 37 years with his legs starting to look stationary and his straights becoming more and more pushed.
Just as Kaovichit was looking like he was tiring he managed to have a much better round as Nashiro's pressure really failed to have any effect. This was the first round since early in the bout that Nashiro was made to clearly look second best, though Kaovichit himself didn't look particularly great as his own work rate dropped significantly.
Rounds 8 and 9 were highlighted by some of the best action of the fight as the two men stood toe to-toe and traded shots inside. Whilst the 8th was Kaovichit's the 9th was certainly Nashiro's as he appeared to realise he'd need a stoppage to take home the title. Surprisingly Kaovichit took the bombs of Nashiro without too many issues though it was obvious that this was just the start of a storm that he'd have to weather.
In round 10 Nashiro continued his assault and at one point the Thai commentators did seem a little worried by how many shots Kaovichit was being forced to take before he managed to find a second wind and throw his first notable combination in several rounds.
Despite Kaovichit ending round 10 well that was really his last success as Nashiro went all out for the stoppage in the championship rounds. The pressure and assault from Nashiro saw him landing a steady stream of right hands through round 11 though Kaovichit tied up regular and smothered much of Nashiro's offense as he did his best to see out the round.
After holding and wrestling through much of round 11 Kaovichit managed to do the same the following round as he managed to see off Nashiro's late charge, a charge that probably began a round too late for the Japanese fighter who was unable to over-turn a large points deficit on the cards of at least 2 judges (I believe the result was a split decision though will correct this if I'm wrong when I do get the official decision.
The bout started well for Kaovichit who used his superior speed in the early rounds to throw and land combinations on his tough but flat footed foe who for the first 2 or 3 rounds really struggled to get into range. Every punch Kaovichit threw seemed to raise cheers from the crowd who were showing their support even when Kaovichit was falling well short with his shots.
It wasn't until the fourth round that Nashiro managed to get any real success as his relentless pressure seemed to begin to pay off. Unfortunately despite the round being much closer than the first few Kaovichit did manage to just do enough to claim it, as he did again in the fifth round. By now though the crowd were becoming more and more subdued, the combinations of Kaovichit had gone and instead they'd been replaced by by singles as he tried to avoid a tear up with Nashiro.
By the start of round 6 it was appearing as if the fight was beginning to turn in the direction of the Japanese fighter who was growing in to the bout. In fact by the end of round 6 Kaovichit was looking every bit of his 37 years with his legs starting to look stationary and his straights becoming more and more pushed.
Just as Kaovichit was looking like he was tiring he managed to have a much better round as Nashiro's pressure really failed to have any effect. This was the first round since early in the bout that Nashiro was made to clearly look second best, though Kaovichit himself didn't look particularly great as his own work rate dropped significantly.
Rounds 8 and 9 were highlighted by some of the best action of the fight as the two men stood toe to-toe and traded shots inside. Whilst the 8th was Kaovichit's the 9th was certainly Nashiro's as he appeared to realise he'd need a stoppage to take home the title. Surprisingly Kaovichit took the bombs of Nashiro without too many issues though it was obvious that this was just the start of a storm that he'd have to weather.
In round 10 Nashiro continued his assault and at one point the Thai commentators did seem a little worried by how many shots Kaovichit was being forced to take before he managed to find a second wind and throw his first notable combination in several rounds.
Despite Kaovichit ending round 10 well that was really his last success as Nashiro went all out for the stoppage in the championship rounds. The pressure and assault from Nashiro saw him landing a steady stream of right hands through round 11 though Kaovichit tied up regular and smothered much of Nashiro's offense as he did his best to see out the round.
After holding and wrestling through much of round 11 Kaovichit managed to do the same the following round as he managed to see off Nashiro's late charge, a charge that probably began a round too late for the Japanese fighter who was unable to over-turn a large points deficit on the cards of at least 2 judges (I believe the result was a split decision though will correct this if I'm wrong when I do get the official decision.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Omar Andres Narvaez v Hiroyuki Hisataka
Argentinian great Omar Andres Narvez (40-1-2, 21) successfully defended his WBO Super Flyweight title in very impressive fashion stopping Japanese challenger Hiroyuki Hisataka (20-11-1, 10).
It was obvious from the first round that Narvaez was the more skilled fighter and although Hisataka looked capable and showed some impressive elusiveness he was struggling to land his own shots on the trick South American southpaw. Unfortunately for Hisataka the longer the bout went on the less elusive he got as Narvaez went through the gears.
For the first 4 rounds Hisataka was having some success, though it appeared that his success were becoming more and more scarce as Narvaez moved from one gear to another allowing Hisataka to feel confident before landing a follow of shots upstairs and downstairs. It really was looking like a boxing masterclass at times by the diminutive veteran.
By round 5 it seems Narvaez had had enough of playing with his prey and he moved up yet again as he finished the round with a giant assault.
If the attack at the end of round signified anything it was that Narvaez was wanting a stoppage and in round 6 he really went for it dominating Hisataka with shots that sent the Japanese fighter back tracking from one side of the ring to another as he searched for some space. Unfortunately for the Japanese fighter Narvaez could smell blood and he kept hammering away with shots probably dominating in a clear enough fashion to have taken the round 10-8.
Hisataka, knowing he had to show something, came out fast for round 7 with a long attack. Unfortunately for Hisataka his shots were predictable and mostly blocked by Narvaez who came back hard with his own onslaught which continued viciously into the following round as Narvaez really went for the stoppage.
Although Hisataka managed to see out rounds 8 and 9 it was obvious that the shots were taking an effect and in round 10 Narvaez connected with several hard, clean body shots that appeared to take away what little fight Hisataka had left. With Hisataka clearly hurt from the shots to the midsection Narvaez launched one final attack with the referee this time stepping in to stop the bout before Hisataka took any more, unnecessary, shots.
It was obvious from the first round that Narvaez was the more skilled fighter and although Hisataka looked capable and showed some impressive elusiveness he was struggling to land his own shots on the trick South American southpaw. Unfortunately for Hisataka the longer the bout went on the less elusive he got as Narvaez went through the gears.
For the first 4 rounds Hisataka was having some success, though it appeared that his success were becoming more and more scarce as Narvaez moved from one gear to another allowing Hisataka to feel confident before landing a follow of shots upstairs and downstairs. It really was looking like a boxing masterclass at times by the diminutive veteran.
By round 5 it seems Narvaez had had enough of playing with his prey and he moved up yet again as he finished the round with a giant assault.
If the attack at the end of round signified anything it was that Narvaez was wanting a stoppage and in round 6 he really went for it dominating Hisataka with shots that sent the Japanese fighter back tracking from one side of the ring to another as he searched for some space. Unfortunately for the Japanese fighter Narvaez could smell blood and he kept hammering away with shots probably dominating in a clear enough fashion to have taken the round 10-8.
Hisataka, knowing he had to show something, came out fast for round 7 with a long attack. Unfortunately for Hisataka his shots were predictable and mostly blocked by Narvaez who came back hard with his own onslaught which continued viciously into the following round as Narvaez really went for the stoppage.
Although Hisataka managed to see out rounds 8 and 9 it was obvious that the shots were taking an effect and in round 10 Narvaez connected with several hard, clean body shots that appeared to take away what little fight Hisataka had left. With Hisataka clearly hurt from the shots to the midsection Narvaez launched one final attack with the referee this time stepping in to stop the bout before Hisataka took any more, unnecessary, shots.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Omar Andres Narvaez v Felipe Orucuta
WBO Super Flyweight champion Omar Andres Narvaez (39-1-2, 20) may still be amongst the worlds best at Super Flyweight but the legendary Argentinian will know that he doesn't have long at the top and following his very tough bout with Mexican youngster Felipe Orucuta (27-2, 23) he may well be thinking about walking away whilst still at the top.
The two men put on a genuinely great fight for the title that Narvaez has held for 3 years and it really did show two very different styles. For Orucuta his wild but extremely heavy blows were eye catching, many of them missed but they were certainly the shots being thrown with bad intentions as if he knew he'd need to take out Narvaez to claim the belt. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Narvaez, a relatively soft puncher who's accuracy was much better than his much taller rival. It wasn't just the offensive work of both men that was polar opposite but also the defensive side with Narvaez showing off his trademark slipperiness which seemed to be his saving grace at times.
The fight really was a case of what do you like. If you're a type of person who loves a lot of action and a fighter forcing the issue then it was easy to see you scoring the bout for Orucuta who was relentless in his pursuit and assault of Narvaez. At times it appeared the Mexican was going to grind down, and stop Narvaez though his somewhat crude style did allow the Argentinian to get away when he needed to create space. If you were the type of guy who rates effective aggression and impressive defensive work then Narvaez was your guy with after round being hard to score and it was little wonder than the scorecards were split.
Narvaez, a genuine tough guy who went 12 rounds with Nonito Donaire despite being made to look 3 divisions smaller, seemed really fearful of Orucuta's power at times and it was little wonder that he refused to get dragged in to a tear up. It was this mindset that helped the Argentinian veteran hear the final bell and retain his title, though it's obvious that father time is catching up with him. A win here by split decision has allowed him a chance to walk away whilst still a world champion, leaving on his own terms, one more fight however could see that change.
For Orucuta the loss may be a set back but he's really put himself on the map and it's only a matter of time before he gets another chance at a world title, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he took that chance with both hands and held a title for a very long time, though it'll probably be at Bantamweight as opposed to Super Flyweight (he must be killing himself to make the weight).
The two men put on a genuinely great fight for the title that Narvaez has held for 3 years and it really did show two very different styles. For Orucuta his wild but extremely heavy blows were eye catching, many of them missed but they were certainly the shots being thrown with bad intentions as if he knew he'd need to take out Narvaez to claim the belt. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Narvaez, a relatively soft puncher who's accuracy was much better than his much taller rival. It wasn't just the offensive work of both men that was polar opposite but also the defensive side with Narvaez showing off his trademark slipperiness which seemed to be his saving grace at times.
The fight really was a case of what do you like. If you're a type of person who loves a lot of action and a fighter forcing the issue then it was easy to see you scoring the bout for Orucuta who was relentless in his pursuit and assault of Narvaez. At times it appeared the Mexican was going to grind down, and stop Narvaez though his somewhat crude style did allow the Argentinian to get away when he needed to create space. If you were the type of guy who rates effective aggression and impressive defensive work then Narvaez was your guy with after round being hard to score and it was little wonder than the scorecards were split.
Narvaez, a genuine tough guy who went 12 rounds with Nonito Donaire despite being made to look 3 divisions smaller, seemed really fearful of Orucuta's power at times and it was little wonder that he refused to get dragged in to a tear up. It was this mindset that helped the Argentinian veteran hear the final bell and retain his title, though it's obvious that father time is catching up with him. A win here by split decision has allowed him a chance to walk away whilst still a world champion, leaving on his own terms, one more fight however could see that change.
For Orucuta the loss may be a set back but he's really put himself on the map and it's only a matter of time before he gets another chance at a world title, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he took that chance with both hands and held a title for a very long time, though it'll probably be at Bantamweight as opposed to Super Flyweight (he must be killing himself to make the weight).
Monday, 6 May 2013
Kohei Kono v Liborio Solis
In a thoroughly engrossing bout Venezuelan Liborio Solis (15-3-1, 7) managed to upset Kohei Kono (28-8, 11) and claim the WBA Super Flyweight title, upgrading his status from the "interim" champion in the process.
The bout, held in Kono's home country was fought at a frantic pace and was action packed through out despite a slow opening round. In all honesty the only round was the bouts only genuinely slow round as the two men traded bombs through out a very hard fought and very exciting contest.
In round 2 Kono managed to score a flash knockdown of the challenger who's knees buckled and he touched down after an excellent connect by the champion in what was one of 2 knockdown with Solis scoring one himself later in the bout.
Solis bounced back from the knockdown and appeared to win rounds 3 and 4, both of which could be on a shortlist for Round of the Year as both men cracked the other with bombs during long trading sequences. It was the was those rounds that saw the pace step up and the battling up close continued in rounds 5 and 6 as neither man wanted to give up more ground than they absolutely had to. For Kono however round 6 was a key round as he landed umpteen noteworthy body shots that looked like they were having an effect on Solis.
Kono's body attack continued through out round 7, a round that he clearly won after a number of close and debatable rounds. It appeared in that round that not only were the body shots taking their toll on Solis but so too was the hectic pace of the early rounds. Just a round later however Solis had his key moment of success dropping Kono and then bringing a lot of offense as he tried to take out the champion. Despite being visibly hurt Kono fired back at the end of the round and appeared to rock Solis very late in the round.
Round 9 was an intriguing round as Solis dominated the first 2 minutes of it with his jab and movement showing off his excellent boxing ability to keep the champion chasing him and looking wild. Late in the round however things turned around and Kono managed to detonate on him several times in an attempt to steal the round.
With both men having put in a lot of work it wasn't a shock when the pace of the bout dropped in round 10 with Solis holding repeatedly and the referee was forced to pull them apart. This round also played a big part in the eventual outcome as Kono was deducted a point which appeared to undo his good work from through out the round.
The bout ended on the same high as much of it was fought with Kono bringing heavy pressure and forcing Solis to to move or fight. Solis however was just a tad too slippery for Kono and used his feet excellently to make Kono look a little bit reckless coming in. Despite the movement of Solis, Kono really went for the finish in round 12 as he appeared to feel he was behind, sadly for the defending champion however he couldn't quite finish off Solis who had to take some shots before the bell.
To much shock the decision was read out as majority decision (115-111, 114-112, 113-113) in favour of Solis who perhaps could feel himself lucky considering he was the challenger and fighting in the champions homeland.
The bout, held in Kono's home country was fought at a frantic pace and was action packed through out despite a slow opening round. In all honesty the only round was the bouts only genuinely slow round as the two men traded bombs through out a very hard fought and very exciting contest.
In round 2 Kono managed to score a flash knockdown of the challenger who's knees buckled and he touched down after an excellent connect by the champion in what was one of 2 knockdown with Solis scoring one himself later in the bout.
Solis bounced back from the knockdown and appeared to win rounds 3 and 4, both of which could be on a shortlist for Round of the Year as both men cracked the other with bombs during long trading sequences. It was the was those rounds that saw the pace step up and the battling up close continued in rounds 5 and 6 as neither man wanted to give up more ground than they absolutely had to. For Kono however round 6 was a key round as he landed umpteen noteworthy body shots that looked like they were having an effect on Solis.
Kono's body attack continued through out round 7, a round that he clearly won after a number of close and debatable rounds. It appeared in that round that not only were the body shots taking their toll on Solis but so too was the hectic pace of the early rounds. Just a round later however Solis had his key moment of success dropping Kono and then bringing a lot of offense as he tried to take out the champion. Despite being visibly hurt Kono fired back at the end of the round and appeared to rock Solis very late in the round.
Round 9 was an intriguing round as Solis dominated the first 2 minutes of it with his jab and movement showing off his excellent boxing ability to keep the champion chasing him and looking wild. Late in the round however things turned around and Kono managed to detonate on him several times in an attempt to steal the round.
With both men having put in a lot of work it wasn't a shock when the pace of the bout dropped in round 10 with Solis holding repeatedly and the referee was forced to pull them apart. This round also played a big part in the eventual outcome as Kono was deducted a point which appeared to undo his good work from through out the round.
The bout ended on the same high as much of it was fought with Kono bringing heavy pressure and forcing Solis to to move or fight. Solis however was just a tad too slippery for Kono and used his feet excellently to make Kono look a little bit reckless coming in. Despite the movement of Solis, Kono really went for the finish in round 12 as he appeared to feel he was behind, sadly for the defending champion however he couldn't quite finish off Solis who had to take some shots before the bell.
To much shock the decision was read out as majority decision (115-111, 114-112, 113-113) in favour of Solis who perhaps could feel himself lucky considering he was the challenger and fighting in the champions homeland.
Friday, 3 May 2013
Yota Sato v Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
The history books prior to today had shown that no Japanese fighter had ever successfully defended a world title in Thailand. It was expected that Yota Sato (26-3-1, 12) had a good chance of changing that as he faced the hard hitting but untested Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (19-3-1, 18) in a defense of the WBC Super Flyweight belt, Srisaket however refused to let Sato have his place in history.
The bout opened fairly evenly with a close opening round, though for Sato the opening round was pretty much the only one he managed to hold his head up high at the end of as Srisaket managed to grow in to the bout very quickly.
In round 2 it appeared that the challenger put his foot on the gas and really upped the tempo of the bout as he tried to turn it in to a war landing flurries to both the head and body. The success in the second round only grew more success for the challenger who gave Sato a real shellacking in round 3 and really established himself in the bout as the boss. The offensive barrage of the challenger continued further through round 4 as he started to really force the champion under a lot of continued pressure and made Sato very uncomfortable.
With the WBC's open scoring in effect it was made public that Srisaket was clearly in the lead with scores of 39-37 (twice) and 40-35 (scoring a 10-8 round at some point, likely round 3). Although Srisaket's dominance was unexpected it was pretty well assumed that the challenger would set a fantastic pace early on trying to blast out Sato early. It was thought however that if Sato could last out the opening storm he could turn the bout around the bout against a tiring Srisaket.
Sato seemed to have ridden out the storm with Srisaket slowing down in rounds 5 and 6. Although the challenger was slowing he was still doing enough to claim both rounds against a champion who was struggling to get any real success against a very determined opponent.
Having slowed the pace for 2 rounds Srisaket turned up the heat again in round 7 and forced Sato to take a genuinely sustained beating in the corner with pretty much nothing coming back at him. There would have no complaints from anyone had the referee stepped in and waved off the bout as Sato was forced to eat shot after shot, but the referee decided to give the champion a chance.
Although Sato was given a "chance" to start the 8th round it didn't take long for Srisaket to back him in to a corner an wail away with another continued assault that forced the referee to wave the bout off and Save Sato who had become drowned in the sea of punches coming at him.
This was not only the first stoppage loss of Sato's career but it was also the first time that Srisaket had won a bout that went beyond the start of round 6. The victory, a hard one for Sato to take, has genuinely announced Srisaket on the world stage and helped make him a number of new fans including myself.
A bout between Sato and any of the top guys at 115 or even 118 would be great to watch and this hard hitting, energetic and teak tough champion could well become one of the must watch fighters over the next few years.
The bout opened fairly evenly with a close opening round, though for Sato the opening round was pretty much the only one he managed to hold his head up high at the end of as Srisaket managed to grow in to the bout very quickly.
In round 2 it appeared that the challenger put his foot on the gas and really upped the tempo of the bout as he tried to turn it in to a war landing flurries to both the head and body. The success in the second round only grew more success for the challenger who gave Sato a real shellacking in round 3 and really established himself in the bout as the boss. The offensive barrage of the challenger continued further through round 4 as he started to really force the champion under a lot of continued pressure and made Sato very uncomfortable.
With the WBC's open scoring in effect it was made public that Srisaket was clearly in the lead with scores of 39-37 (twice) and 40-35 (scoring a 10-8 round at some point, likely round 3). Although Srisaket's dominance was unexpected it was pretty well assumed that the challenger would set a fantastic pace early on trying to blast out Sato early. It was thought however that if Sato could last out the opening storm he could turn the bout around the bout against a tiring Srisaket.
Sato seemed to have ridden out the storm with Srisaket slowing down in rounds 5 and 6. Although the challenger was slowing he was still doing enough to claim both rounds against a champion who was struggling to get any real success against a very determined opponent.
Having slowed the pace for 2 rounds Srisaket turned up the heat again in round 7 and forced Sato to take a genuinely sustained beating in the corner with pretty much nothing coming back at him. There would have no complaints from anyone had the referee stepped in and waved off the bout as Sato was forced to eat shot after shot, but the referee decided to give the champion a chance.
Although Sato was given a "chance" to start the 8th round it didn't take long for Srisaket to back him in to a corner an wail away with another continued assault that forced the referee to wave the bout off and Save Sato who had become drowned in the sea of punches coming at him.
This was not only the first stoppage loss of Sato's career but it was also the first time that Srisaket had won a bout that went beyond the start of round 6. The victory, a hard one for Sato to take, has genuinely announced Srisaket on the world stage and helped make him a number of new fans including myself.
A bout between Sato and any of the top guys at 115 or even 118 would be great to watch and this hard hitting, energetic and teak tough champion could well become one of the must watch fighters over the next few years.
Monday, 31 December 2012
Yota Sato v Ryo Akaho
In an all Japanese bout for the WBC Super Flyweight title the defending champion Yota Sato (26-2-1, 12) managed to claim a clear unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten and highly ranked Ryo Akaho (19-1-2, 12).
Also some had tipped Akaho to upset Sato, it was clear after only a few rounds that the challenger had his work cut out as the champion showed his superior and excellent boxing ability to control the pace and range of the fight. Akaho was game through out though failed to force Sato out of his comfort zone for any prolong periods of time.
With this win, and the victory by Kohei Kono on the same card we have a very promising all-Japanese WBC/WBA Super Flyweight title unification on the cards for 2013 as the division attempts to clear up the mess that it's been in over the past few years.
Whilst many may feel that veteran Argentinian Andres Omar Narvaez (the WBO champion) is the division's #1 guy, it's not hard to argue that he's the winner of Sato v Kono would also deserve credit for being amongst the very best in the division.
For Akaho it's obvious he can come again, he's only 26 and has time to rebuild, for Sato however it's the perfecting ending to a year that has seen him also defeating Sylvester Lopez and Suriyan Sor Rungvisai (who Sato defeated for the world title). In fact at just 28 years old himself Sato could well have 5 or 6 years at the top and he's only improving. Expect to hear a lot about this talented fighter over the coming years.
Also some had tipped Akaho to upset Sato, it was clear after only a few rounds that the challenger had his work cut out as the champion showed his superior and excellent boxing ability to control the pace and range of the fight. Akaho was game through out though failed to force Sato out of his comfort zone for any prolong periods of time.
With this win, and the victory by Kohei Kono on the same card we have a very promising all-Japanese WBC/WBA Super Flyweight title unification on the cards for 2013 as the division attempts to clear up the mess that it's been in over the past few years.
Whilst many may feel that veteran Argentinian Andres Omar Narvaez (the WBO champion) is the division's #1 guy, it's not hard to argue that he's the winner of Sato v Kono would also deserve credit for being amongst the very best in the division.
For Akaho it's obvious he can come again, he's only 26 and has time to rebuild, for Sato however it's the perfecting ending to a year that has seen him also defeating Sylvester Lopez and Suriyan Sor Rungvisai (who Sato defeated for the world title). In fact at just 28 years old himself Sato could well have 5 or 6 years at the top and he's only improving. Expect to hear a lot about this talented fighter over the coming years.
Tepparith Kokietgym v Kohei Kono
In the surprise result of the day Japanese Super Flyweight Kohei Kono (28-7, 11) claimed the WBA title by stopping the highly regarded Thai Tepparith Kokietgym (21-3, 13) in 4 rounds, becoming the first man in history to stop Tepparith.
Kono, who had previously lost in title challenges to both Nobuo Nashiro and Tomas Rojas, came in with nasty intent and dropped Tepparith 3 times in a dominant fourth round that forced the referee to step in. First Kono rocked Tepparith then never let up on the talented Thai who wasn't given the time and space he needed to recover.
This excellent display sees Kono joining fellow Japanese Super Flyweight Yota Sato as a world champion. Like Kono Sato claimed his title by defeating a Thai, though Sato's reign started earlier this year when he out pointed Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.
For Kono this is the crowning moment in career that started way back in 2000, however it seems like Tepparith will need to go back to the drawing board. Teppartih had struggled with Nashiro last time out and maybe the tough fights have caught up on him or he may have been struggling at the weight, though in all honesty Kono was a man possessed and man with a point to prove.
2013 could be a very exciting year for Japanese boxing fans with a prospective Kono v Sato unification bout a very real possibility.
Kono, who had previously lost in title challenges to both Nobuo Nashiro and Tomas Rojas, came in with nasty intent and dropped Tepparith 3 times in a dominant fourth round that forced the referee to step in. First Kono rocked Tepparith then never let up on the talented Thai who wasn't given the time and space he needed to recover.
This excellent display sees Kono joining fellow Japanese Super Flyweight Yota Sato as a world champion. Like Kono Sato claimed his title by defeating a Thai, though Sato's reign started earlier this year when he out pointed Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.
For Kono this is the crowning moment in career that started way back in 2000, however it seems like Tepparith will need to go back to the drawing board. Teppartih had struggled with Nashiro last time out and maybe the tough fights have caught up on him or he may have been struggling at the weight, though in all honesty Kono was a man possessed and man with a point to prove.
2013 could be a very exciting year for Japanese boxing fans with a prospective Kono v Sato unification bout a very real possibility.
Monday, 17 December 2012
Omar Andres Narvaez v David Quijano
WBO Super Flyweight champion Omar Andres Narvaez (38-1-2, 20) made his third title defence of the year as he defeated the criminally under-qualified David Quijano (15--3-1, 9) without breaking a sweat in what was effectively a shut out on my card.
Narvaez set the tone from the off with his speed and skill evident from the opening bell. His contempt for his challenger grew round by round as he started tag Quijano with more and more clean shots, though ultimately Narvaez didn't quite have the fire power to end the proceedings early.
Despite being 37 Narvaez didn't just look like the younger man in the ring but actually looked like he was still getting better showing a genuine mean streak and an aggressive mindset that has been lacking at times. Whether this was a case of Narvaez being a bit of a freak in improving so late in his career or whether Quijano just helped him look good is up for debate, though this really was a domination.
The score cards (120-106, 120-108 and 119-109) really told the story of the bout and hopefully we'll see this newer, slightly more aggressive version of Narvaez more often.
Narvaez set the tone from the off with his speed and skill evident from the opening bell. His contempt for his challenger grew round by round as he started tag Quijano with more and more clean shots, though ultimately Narvaez didn't quite have the fire power to end the proceedings early.
Despite being 37 Narvaez didn't just look like the younger man in the ring but actually looked like he was still getting better showing a genuine mean streak and an aggressive mindset that has been lacking at times. Whether this was a case of Narvaez being a bit of a freak in improving so late in his career or whether Quijano just helped him look good is up for debate, though this really was a domination.
The score cards (120-106, 120-108 and 119-109) really told the story of the bout and hopefully we'll see this newer, slightly more aggressive version of Narvaez more often.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Omar Andres Narvaez v Johnny Garcia
Talented Argentinian Omar Andres Narvaez (37-1-2, 20) successfully defended his WBO Super Flyweight title for the fifth time as he stopped Mexican Johnny Garcia (16-4-1, 8) in the 11th round of an impressive and emotionally charged bout.
The bout, first scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed following the death of Narvaez's father and in the opening round Narvaez did look like his mind was else where as he spent much of the round outside of his own range behind his high guard, allowing Garcia to hit his arms. Midway through round 2 however Narvaez seemed to realise he was in a fight and tried to launch his own hard shorts, often leaping at the much bigger Garcia with big left hands whilst frustrating the challenger with clever movement. Through the first 3 rounds Garcia seemed to be in the lead thanks to hi aggressiveness, however he was looking wild and sent himself to the canvas at one point whilst swinging at Narvaez.
By the mid point of the fourth round you could see Garcia gradually getting more frustrated with Narvaez and not only was Garcia missing a lot, but he was wasting a lot of energy against a very tricky Narvaez who, whilst not winning the fight at this point, was starting to tire the much younger Garcia. In round 5 Narvaez started to close the range and whilst he didn't do enough to really stamp his authority on the round, he seemed to have finally started to warm to the bout, however the round was sadly rather stop start after a number of accidental fouls by the challenger.
In round 6 the snap seemed to have gone from Garcia as Narvaez started to turn the screw and stood in the pocket and looked like he was really getting in the groove in his most impressive round up to that point. If the sixth was Narvaez finding his groove then the seventh was Narvaez showing a mean streak as he continued to stand in the pocket and land numerous, hurtful shots, almost appearing to take his emotions out on Garcia's head and body in a hugely impressive round that saw Garcia dropped officially for the first time in the bout.
As Garcia went back to his corner following round 7 he appeared to be a beaten man whilst Narvaez seemed to be a man with bad thoughts on in his mind. Surprisingly however Garcia came out for round 8 looking like a rejuvenated fighter before a nasty clash of heads had both men wincing with Garcia being deducted a point. Late in round 8 Narvaez seemed to look for the stoppage but Garcia managed to survive thanks to some confusion by both men regarding the end of the round.
Although Narvaez was controlling the bout it wasn't until the final minute of round 11 that he made his control really count for something as he dropped Garcia 3 times forcing the referee to wave the bout off and give Narvaez his first stoppage victory since moving up from Flyweight. Interestingly it's the third time Narvaez has stopped an opponent in the 11th round (with his last stoppage also being in the 11th round).
At 37 years old Narvaez is on the slide. He proved he still has the speed, skills and movement to hang with younger fighters though I wouldn't be surprised if he were to announce his retirement in the next few months, maybe going out with 1 more fight to finish a memorable, if under-rated career. For Garcia however I think we'll probably see him again as a perennial but limited challenger.
The bout, first scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed following the death of Narvaez's father and in the opening round Narvaez did look like his mind was else where as he spent much of the round outside of his own range behind his high guard, allowing Garcia to hit his arms. Midway through round 2 however Narvaez seemed to realise he was in a fight and tried to launch his own hard shorts, often leaping at the much bigger Garcia with big left hands whilst frustrating the challenger with clever movement. Through the first 3 rounds Garcia seemed to be in the lead thanks to hi aggressiveness, however he was looking wild and sent himself to the canvas at one point whilst swinging at Narvaez.
By the mid point of the fourth round you could see Garcia gradually getting more frustrated with Narvaez and not only was Garcia missing a lot, but he was wasting a lot of energy against a very tricky Narvaez who, whilst not winning the fight at this point, was starting to tire the much younger Garcia. In round 5 Narvaez started to close the range and whilst he didn't do enough to really stamp his authority on the round, he seemed to have finally started to warm to the bout, however the round was sadly rather stop start after a number of accidental fouls by the challenger.
In round 6 the snap seemed to have gone from Garcia as Narvaez started to turn the screw and stood in the pocket and looked like he was really getting in the groove in his most impressive round up to that point. If the sixth was Narvaez finding his groove then the seventh was Narvaez showing a mean streak as he continued to stand in the pocket and land numerous, hurtful shots, almost appearing to take his emotions out on Garcia's head and body in a hugely impressive round that saw Garcia dropped officially for the first time in the bout.
As Garcia went back to his corner following round 7 he appeared to be a beaten man whilst Narvaez seemed to be a man with bad thoughts on in his mind. Surprisingly however Garcia came out for round 8 looking like a rejuvenated fighter before a nasty clash of heads had both men wincing with Garcia being deducted a point. Late in round 8 Narvaez seemed to look for the stoppage but Garcia managed to survive thanks to some confusion by both men regarding the end of the round.
Although Narvaez was controlling the bout it wasn't until the final minute of round 11 that he made his control really count for something as he dropped Garcia 3 times forcing the referee to wave the bout off and give Narvaez his first stoppage victory since moving up from Flyweight. Interestingly it's the third time Narvaez has stopped an opponent in the 11th round (with his last stoppage also being in the 11th round).
At 37 years old Narvaez is on the slide. He proved he still has the speed, skills and movement to hang with younger fighters though I wouldn't be surprised if he were to announce his retirement in the next few months, maybe going out with 1 more fight to finish a memorable, if under-rated career. For Garcia however I think we'll probably see him again as a perennial but limited challenger.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr v Rodel Mayol
Young Mexican Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr (15-1-1, 8) may not be a well known name in boxing circles but he's swiftly making an impact on the sport and really put a marker down this past weekend as he defended his IBF Super Flyweight title for the second time and knocked out Filipino Rodel Mayol (31-6-2, 22).
Despite looking significantly smaller, the experienced Mayol started excellently and used fantastic lateral movement to land at will on Sanchez who looked clueless. The reach advantage of Sanchez was neutralised by the movement and it was Mayol's straight right hand that seemed to be the key punch of the first 4 rounds, all clear Mayol rounds.
In round 5 the bout took a huge turn with Mayol's movement becoming slower and move limited. As Mayol slowed not only did he become less successful but he allowed Sanchez in to the bout. Whilst Sanchez was getting in the round, he was surprisingly dropped on the bell and given a count, much to his corners annoyance. Sadly for Mayol this was the start of the end.
From the start of round 6 Sanchez started to really take control of the bout as Mayol began to look like a spent force. The shots from the champion were landing cleanly time and time again and he was now starting to break down the tiring challenger. By round 8 Mayol was looking ready to go and Sanchez could feel his grip on the bout strengthening.
The bout ended in enthralling fashion as Sanchez spectacularly knocked Mayol out of the ring and scored the knockout win to retain his title in memorable fashion.
Despite looking significantly smaller, the experienced Mayol started excellently and used fantastic lateral movement to land at will on Sanchez who looked clueless. The reach advantage of Sanchez was neutralised by the movement and it was Mayol's straight right hand that seemed to be the key punch of the first 4 rounds, all clear Mayol rounds.
In round 5 the bout took a huge turn with Mayol's movement becoming slower and move limited. As Mayol slowed not only did he become less successful but he allowed Sanchez in to the bout. Whilst Sanchez was getting in the round, he was surprisingly dropped on the bell and given a count, much to his corners annoyance. Sadly for Mayol this was the start of the end.
From the start of round 6 Sanchez started to really take control of the bout as Mayol began to look like a spent force. The shots from the champion were landing cleanly time and time again and he was now starting to break down the tiring challenger. By round 8 Mayol was looking ready to go and Sanchez could feel his grip on the bout strengthening.
The bout ended in enthralling fashion as Sanchez spectacularly knocked Mayol out of the ring and scored the knockout win to retain his title in memorable fashion.
Saturday, 1 September 2012
Tepparith Kokietgym v Nabuo Nashiro
WBA Super Flyweight champion Tepparith Kokietgym (21-2, 13) had his toughest fight in almost 4 years as he struggled past perennial world class Japanese hardman Nabuo Nashiro (18-5-1, 12) scoring a razor thin majority decision.
The fast punching Thai was given hell by the much hard punching Japanese fighter who was attempting to become a 3-time Super Flyweight champion who refused to give up. Although Tepparith wasn't given the space and freedom to work freely he did manage to do enough to retain his title with the scores of 114-114, 115-114, 115-113, though the cards were closer than many felt they should have been.
With this loss Nashiro falls to 0-4-1 in his last 5 world title fights, though all of those losses have come to very good champions (Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, Tomas Rojas and Hugo Fidel Cazares-who also scored the draw). He had vowed to retire if he lost today so it may well be the end of his career, despite the fact he can still hold his own with the best in the world, as he proved against Tepparith. Hopefully Nashiro gives it one more go and faces fellow Japanese fighter Yota Sato in a "passing of the torch" style fight.
Whilst it could be the end for Nashiro it seems to just be another step forward for Tepparith who is swiftly becoming one of the most impressive youngsters in the sport. Since winning the WBA "interim" world title just 16 months Tepparith has beaten a number of top fighters including Daiki Kameda, Tomonobu Shimizu and now Nashiro, all in their back yards in Japan.
The fast punching Thai was given hell by the much hard punching Japanese fighter who was attempting to become a 3-time Super Flyweight champion who refused to give up. Although Tepparith wasn't given the space and freedom to work freely he did manage to do enough to retain his title with the scores of 114-114, 115-114, 115-113, though the cards were closer than many felt they should have been.
With this loss Nashiro falls to 0-4-1 in his last 5 world title fights, though all of those losses have come to very good champions (Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, Tomas Rojas and Hugo Fidel Cazares-who also scored the draw). He had vowed to retire if he lost today so it may well be the end of his career, despite the fact he can still hold his own with the best in the world, as he proved against Tepparith. Hopefully Nashiro gives it one more go and faces fellow Japanese fighter Yota Sato in a "passing of the torch" style fight.
Whilst it could be the end for Nashiro it seems to just be another step forward for Tepparith who is swiftly becoming one of the most impressive youngsters in the sport. Since winning the WBA "interim" world title just 16 months Tepparith has beaten a number of top fighters including Daiki Kameda, Tomonobu Shimizu and now Nashiro, all in their back yards in Japan.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Yota Sato v Sylvester Lopez
Ultra talented Japanese fighter Yota Sato (25-2-1, 12) successfully made the first defence of his WBC Super Flyweight title by out pointing the very under-rated Filipino power puncher Sylvester Lopez (19-4-1, 15). Whilst this bout didn't appear to the wider boxing public it's a bout that really interested me due to the rise of Sato who claimed the title earlier this year when he out pointed the well regarded Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, twice dropping the Thai.
Going into the bout Sato was the #4 Ring ranked Super Flyweight whilst Lopez was the WBC's #1 contender a ranking that was genuinely deserved due to Lopez's performances against the likes of Oscar Ibarra and Everardo Morales. Sadly Sato was much better than Lopez's previous opponents and the class showed as Sato took a clear and wide decision.
Whilst Sato is relatively unknown by boxing fans despite notable wins over Rungvisai and Lopez he's actually on an amazing 21 fight unbeaten streak with solid domestic wins against the likes of Kenji Oba, Kohei Kono, Daigo Nakahiro and Go Onaga. Although he's 28 years old Sato is one of the most talented and under-the radar champions out there and a fighter who fans should be trying to watch.
For Lopez, who suffered the clearest loss of his professional career, he can take a lot of heart from his performance. At just 24 years old Lopez will certainly come again and has a very good chance of winning a world title somewhere down the line.
As a hardcore boxing fan I'd love to see Sato facing Tepparith Kokietgym in a WBA/WBC unification bout in a bout that would see a clear #1 crowned at Super Flyweight.
Going into the bout Sato was the #4 Ring ranked Super Flyweight whilst Lopez was the WBC's #1 contender a ranking that was genuinely deserved due to Lopez's performances against the likes of Oscar Ibarra and Everardo Morales. Sadly Sato was much better than Lopez's previous opponents and the class showed as Sato took a clear and wide decision.
Whilst Sato is relatively unknown by boxing fans despite notable wins over Rungvisai and Lopez he's actually on an amazing 21 fight unbeaten streak with solid domestic wins against the likes of Kenji Oba, Kohei Kono, Daigo Nakahiro and Go Onaga. Although he's 28 years old Sato is one of the most talented and under-the radar champions out there and a fighter who fans should be trying to watch.
For Lopez, who suffered the clearest loss of his professional career, he can take a lot of heart from his performance. At just 24 years old Lopez will certainly come again and has a very good chance of winning a world title somewhere down the line.
As a hardcore boxing fan I'd love to see Sato facing Tepparith Kokietgym in a WBA/WBC unification bout in a bout that would see a clear #1 crowned at Super Flyweight.
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