Benkei Fight II: Yuki Hamashima vs. Ruku Sasaki RBR

さあ行こう!

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...how's that for a clarion roll-call?

 

Yuki Hamashima vs. Ruku Sasaki, 8 rounds @ super welterweight

 

"Change" Hamashima debuted a decade ago, initially a successful welterweight prospect on the domestic scene and then slumping with four defeats in a row (six total) and retiring before the pandemic after having recently turned just 24. He returned to action this March.

The green-haired Sasaki, nicknamed the "Adios of Naniwa", debuted after his opponent's retirement and has only half the pro experience - but has built a strong following both online and in his native Osaka, where this is taking place.

 

Round 1

Hamashima grabs Sasaki's arm extended for a 1-2 and spins him around by it. They both peck at medium-long range with body jabs, high swiping hooks, and 1-2s at the chest favored by Sasaki. Big left hook downstairs by Sasaki, straying south of the border a few inches but unseen by the ref. Clinch. Hamashima shaves the orbital bone of Sasaki with a jab. Hamashima squats down, giving up his height advantage, and ropes out jabs. Hamashima blocks, waiting, then explodes with hooks as Hamashima is pulling away. Body jab by Hamashima. Lunging double hooks by Sasaki driving Hamashima into the ropes. Hamashima hooks the body twice, catching elbow the second time, and throws a 1-2 down the pipe between Sasaki's wrists. Sasaki feints with the left hook a couple of times and then slices down with a right hand. Body shots by Sasaki. Hamashima clinches. A couple of jabs on the face score for Hamashima but Sasaki responds ith a couple of harder ones. Right hand for Hamashima. Combo by Sasaki. Flush counter hook by Hamashima.

10-9 Sasaki, close, very fun opener that started with a feeling out first minute and quickly accelerated.

 

Round 2

Hamashima is jabbing out multiples lightly. Sasaki pushes in close and unleashes several hard power shots on either side of the body. Hamashima unable to buy himself any breathing room with the jab and lacks the strength to push away. Sasaki begins mixing chopping rights on the face with left hooks on the body. Hamashima down just half a minute into the round! Hamashima clinching. Hamashima taps on his waistband to alert the ref that Sasaki may be going low. Desperate jabs by Hamashima backing up. Sasaki walking through weak shoeshines from Hamashima. Now a low blow from Hamashima. Sasaki walks it off quickly. Left hook on the waistband now from Sasaki. Ref getting frustrated, although Sasaki bows apologetically to indicate that it was a coincidental mistake and not retaliatory. Hamashima recovers quickly and they resume. Hooks traded at point blank. Hamashima scores a big hook turning Sasaki's head sharply. Both men feeling the pace in the final twenty seconds, grinding together and tossing arm punches in between clinches.

10-8 Sasaki

20-17 Sasaki

 

This is a treat honestly, and the passionate (and partison) crowd in the small Abeno Ward Center venue makes it even better.

 

Round 3

Hamashima is carefully moving to his left, ducking, and leaning in to clinch strategically. Throwing a wet towel on the previous pace of the fight. Sasaki following and swiveling his hips winging big hooks from too far out, missimg most. Hamashima staying under the shorter opponent's jab, so that at most it buzzes his hairline. Hamashima with very light point-scoring flurries from mid-range, immediately either pulling up tall or hunkering down to grab Sasaki when done. Clever but unentertaining stuff from Hamashima. Sasaki fakes twice with a high jab and then catches the head of the ducking Hamashima with a low right hand. That hurt, but Hamashima is able to hold. Sasaki wrestles him onto the canvas with a judo toss. Crowd roaring, thinking it was a KD, it wasn't.

10-9 Hamashima, even though Sasaki caught him good at the very end.

29-27 Sasaki

 

Sasaki's only blemishes against his 7 professional victories were all on points in four-rounders: one SD loss to a fellow novice, one split draw with a fellow novice, and in his pro debut that rarest of sights: a unanimous three-card draw with a twelve bout veteran.

 

Round 4

Hamashima is trying for a sneaky uppercut rising from hip to jaw after lightly jabbing in close to clinching range. Sasaki not letting him pull trigger, interrupting the blow with hooks and stepping away to reset. Hamashima keeps pushing in close, surrendering his reach in favor of tying up and scoring points with taps on the body or light rapid face jabs. Hamashima rips a big 1-2 after swinging at the waist, making it seem he was about to duck inside but instead winding up in the other direction and quickly releasing. Big hooks on the body by Sasaki, but mostly hitting hip. Hamashima shutting him down with clinches.

10-9 Hamashima, close

38-37 Sasaki

 

Round 5

Hamashima is now leaning in and settling for short uppercuts instead of the ambitious ones he was trying in the 4th. Hamashima flopping in, holding, scoring uppercuts, and pushing off with some parting jabs on the face. Body hooks now by Hamashima. Sasaki pushing ahead, hacking with left hooks and looping rights, powerful but wasted effort, all ducked or blocked. Hamashima wrestling him to a standstill in the middle of the ring. Weak long triple jab between Sasaki's eyes by Hamashima. Sasaki tries an uppercut on the bottom of the chin and then left hook on the liver in quick succession. Both graze as Hamashima pulls back. Sasaki finally gets off a sequence of power combos, but Hamashima soon gloms onto him again, tapping him lightly all over while pressed in close and then scoring one monster hook moments before the bell that has Sasaki laughing appreciatively while Hamashima laughs and roars back at him.

10-9 Hamashima

47 all.

 

Round 6

Hamashima is lobbing two and thries pieces on the front and sides of Sasaki's abdomen in close. Sasaki responding with some body shots as well, but far fewer. Sasaki wants to headhunt. He stays committed to decapitating Hamashima with a hook, but the high guard is ever present protecting the jaw. Both men swoop low on bent knees trying to drive the other back with uppercuts. Sasaki's doesn't land and Hamashima's have no effect even though he does get in two in a row. A bit of incidental head butting as they grind in close. Ref breaks a clinch as Sasaki paws at his nose to wipe something away (blood, sweat, mucus? As yet unclear). Hamashima paddling Sasaki's belly with underhanded shots. Sasaki wants that big left hook, can't find the button.

10-9 Hamashima

57-56 Hamashima

 

It took me a while to figure out but Hamashima did bring his own small but vocal cheering section, maybe a dozen or so people for the last several rounds screaming "CHA-NA-JA!" (realizing this is Japanese pronunciation of "Change" in English).

 

Round 7

Hamashima is clamping his forehead onto Sasaki's like a pair of dueling alpha male rams, and swiping the body with hooks. War of attrition here. The scrawny ref getting pushed to his physical limits pushing the pair apart several times per minute. Hamashima walking Sasaki onto some flush but not very explosive uppercuts. Sasaki finds an inner well of energy and blasts Hamashima with a pair of overhand rights backing him into the ropes, then sticks his tongue out in an excited taunt when Hamashima is baited into an exchange and rips Sasaki with a counter hook. Hamashima scores a hook on the body and converts it into a left uppercut on the chin. Sasaki with a hook into Hamashima's ear, then has a huge skewering right hand ducked at the last second.

10-9 Sasaki, super close

66 apiece.

 

Round 8

Hamashima is out jabbing with conviction and circling to his left, keeping things at mid-range. Sasaki walking him down, and soon has Hamashima sitting on the middle rope throwing desperate shoeshines under Sasaki's elbows. Sasaki wants his big kayo shot, and tries a wide left hook and then a harpooning right, both missing. Sasaki starts smacking the more available target of Hamashima's body with his left hook. Hamashima with his own body touches in reply. They lean together, head to head, gloves and wrists also pressing together, and take turns revving up combos, mostly downstairs although Sasaki sneaks in hooks on the face wherever he gets an opportunity. HEAVY right uppercut on the diaphragm by Sasaki. Hooks and jabs on the face scoring for Sasaki as Hamashima gets a bit wild, flailing and stumbling in the final few seconds.

10-9 Sasaki

76-75 Sasaki, knockdown making the difference.