Kazuto Ioka vs. Kwanthai Sithmorseng & Ryo Miyazaki vs. Jesus Silvestre RBR

Round 1

Ioka is moving laterally across from Sithmorseng in a shuffle, dropping in a few jabs. Sithmorseng hasn't got much going yet.

10-9 Ioka

 

Round 2

Ioka is hovering in a vulture's circle tightly around Sithmorseng, slapping at hips sides and hips with reach-in hooks and then extending the left jab out into his face as he steps around him. Sithmorseng is still very tentative, pawing his jab and getting countered by Ioka's. A couple of diving rights to the body by Sithmorseng, but he is pushed back quickly by the double jab of Ioka, who places his lead foot well outside Sithmorseng's to get a side-on angle. Sithmorseng is potato bugging to get inside, arching his back and scrunching himself into a ball as he puts everything into an overhand right. It catches Ioka as he is firing his own shot leaning forward, but he takes it well and covers up as Sithmorseng misses a follow-up left hook swatted at the back of his neck.


10-9 Ioka, closer

20-18 Ioka

 

Round 3

Sithmorseng is stepping left and jabbing up at Ioka's flowing locks. Ioka blocks a 1-2 while sidestepping to his right, keeping himself just out of range for Sithmorseng to drive his straight punches through his guard. Ioka is giving Sithmorseng respect now, circling at medium-long range with some direction changes. Ioka is fencing with Sithmorseng, both thrusting and parrying jabs and jerking their heads back on the outside while moving. Pretty boxing. Ioka is dropping his weight and bounce-stepping at the end of Sithmorseng's accurate shotgun jab. Sithmorseng begins to lunge in with the 1-2, front leg firmly digging in. Ioka crickets away. Ioka's 1-2 is missing past Sithmorseng's throat by a few inches, thrown while off balance with a forward lurch. Sithmorseng adopts the shoulder roll for a moment, then pops Ioka with a right to the body. Ioka stretches out his jab as far as it will go while creeping backward. Sithmorseng walks Ioka to the ropes, looking like a Siamese Mayweather. More lead rights downstairs by Sithmorseng.

10-9 Sithmorseng

29-28 Ioka

 

Round 4

Sithmorseng is moving his head around Ioka's jab, hooking out at his body when Ioka ventures too close. Ioka finds his distance and scores with the jab stepping in, then quickly out to reset. Ioka mixes in the right hand. Big looping right from Sithmorseng blocked from outside. LEAPING LEFT HOOK BY IOKA! Shades of Jones or Pascal. Sithmorseng partially got his glove in the way, but that was still eye-catching for the judges. Ioka circles to his right, padding warily around Sithmorseng with his body twisted a quarter turn from him. Sithmorseng has both arms dragging past his waist, acting slick again. Ioka sticks him in the unprotected face with a jab, backing him up. Sithmorseng thinks he already heard the bell and begins to go to his corner. He realizes there are ten seconds left and touches gloves with Ioka, who obliges him sportingly. They resume jab-fencing. Right hand to the face, left hook downstairs by Ioka.

10-9 Ioka

39-37 Ioka

 

Round 5

Sithmorseng has returned to a high guard, even on the outside, making the adjustment to Ioka's greatly increased crispness and improving aim with the jab. Ioka is stepping in without punching, drawing the lead right from Sithmorseng, slipping and countering with a 1-2. Nice subtle work by the champ here, quietly doing a number on Sithmorseng with clean shots without seeming overly aggressive. Sithmorseng doubles a jab and Ioka ducks and fades to his right, going to the body and covering back up to push into Sithmorseng with his bonded forearms. Sithmorseng is flicking jabs from the hip at the end of the round from mid-range, daring to keep his arms low again.

10-9 Ioka

49-46 Ioka

 

I'll say this for Kwanthai - he is doing a lot better than expected, considering his only previous steps up to anywhere near this level were Muhammad and Pigmy.

Unlike Tony, I actually thought round 3 was pretty clear for the challenger - but Ioka has mostly been piecing together a slow-burn boxer-puncher clinic on a surprisingly game opponent.

 

Round 6

Sithmorseng is getting rapped on the nose with the jab as Ioka slides in, staying low with both gloves up at his ears when not throwing. Sithmorseng is circling and letting his own jab go but not finding a home. Right hand by Sithmorseng, just over Ioka's shoulder. A couple of incidental but none too serious headbutts as Ioka jabs in faster than Sithmorseng can back up.

10-9 Ioka

59-55 Ioka

 

Round 7

Big left hook downstairs by Ioka. That really hurt Sithmorseng. He makes his way outside, shimmying and carrying his arms low to downplay it. Right hand by Sithmorseng, grazing. More body shots by Ioka, staying compact and leaning in. Sithmorseng puts up a perpendicular guard, left arm crossed over his belly and right vertical up to his chin. Ioka reverts to head jabs accordingly. Whatever target is available, Ioka is gunning for. Sithmorseng has to adjust constantly while circling, losing some of his surety of foot. Ioka is looking very poised and smooth. They're standing right across from each other, in a bit of a lull. HUGE LEAPING LEFT HOOK BY IOKA! FAST, UNANTICIPATED AND EXPLOSIVE! SITHMORSENG ON HIS BACK!

KO7!!

 

Great fight, classic finish.

 

Yeah, masterful. So inventive and brutally effective. Ioka ain't just your run of the mill KO artist. He's a KO DaVinci.