Chris John vs. Shoji Kimura & Daud Yordan vs. Lorenzo Villanueva RBR

Round 2

Nagashima is controlling Ma, with, as the Indonesian commentators say, "Jab jab. Jab - ohhh, jab jab jab..." Needless to say he's jabbing a lot, and doing well with that tactic, keeping Ma turning and swinging wildly with uppercuts thrown from behind the hip. Uh-oh! Ma lands a pair of those uppercuts? Is Nagashima hurt? The crowd sure thinks so... Nah. Back on the jab. Nagashima calmly circles left and keeps his stick in Ma's face. Hard overhands and uppercuts by Ma, just plodding in and teeing off. Nagashima is able to roll under them while moving, and keep sending his jab back at Ma on an incline. Now Ma is put on the ropes and Nagashima kneads at his body.

20-18 Nagashima

 

You think that's his intent? :think

We usually see the Stone Man go to war..

 

Round 3

Ma is still issuing his fists as envoys, throwing big left hooks and looping rights while taking one slow step forward after another. Nagashima isn't circling as smoothly anymore, trying to work under Ma's shots and land to the body. Ma is finding him more, landing an overhand and an uppercut with the same hand before Nagashima can duck back. Nagashima tries a big wide hook of his own and gets hung up on Ma's arm. Nagashima is fighting Ma's fight now. Sloppy exchanges on the inside, both missing hooks as they twist and turn in the pocket. BIG LEFT HOOK by Ma. Nagashima holds. Chopping left to the body by Nagashima. Wild hooks by Ma, head turned and eyes closed. Not even looking.

10-9 Ma

29-28 Nagashima

 

Round 4

It's back to the Nagashima jab show. Ma's lost whatever mojo he had working to keep Nagashima frozen stiff. The Japanese journeyman has returned to his circling rhythm, and is staying under Ma's fat and telltale curvy punches. Jabs to the face by Nagashima as Ma tries to just bully through and land uppercuts. Nagashima is able to hold him off long enough to buy a second, scoot back by kicking his rear foot out behind himself and then sliding his lead foot to adjust, and landing several jabs to the face of Ma. Nagashima is starting to open up into combos off the jab.

Big Nagashima round.

39-37 Nagashima

 

Round 5

Ma is chopping down at Nagashima with right hands coming forward. Nagashima is crossing his arms across his face, and ducking down in front of Ma. This is an error in judgment. Rather than refrain from throwing, Ma goes ahead and plunges his hard right hands down on the back of Nagashima's neck - and the ref doesn't seem to care. Nagashima is getting whacked pretty hard on the base of the skull, several times, that has to take an effect after a while. Nagashima is trying to boss it, shoving at Ma's lower body and flurrying on him with uppercuts and hooks. Most of Nagashima's shots are hitting folded arms as Ma leans back and defends. Ma hooks his way off the ropes, but Nagashima pushes him back with a 1-2 and a shove.

Close round. If just a few more of Ma's connected blows were legal...

Nagashima needs to be careful in the sixth...

49-46 Nagashima

 

Just curious, what did you base Yordan running on? :think

Have you seen him box cute against a puncher before?

Because when we've seen him against guys that primarily box themselves (Guerrero, Caballero, John) he forces them to mix it up.

 

Round 6

Ma walks forward into some jabs. Nagashima is starting to land the right hand behind the jab, and rock Ma's face about. Ma's jaw is hanging slack, and he's still coming forward but looking woozy!! Clubbing right by Ma, but Nagashima reaches into his bag of tricks and lands several flavors of counter punch! Very little power on Nagashima's shots, but he's landing them aplenty. A wide variety of punches, landing in close succession, as Nagashima stays tight in Ma's chest and tilts his head to dodge the slow infighting attempts of Ma. OHHHHHH, giant uppercut by Ma, snaps Nagashima's head back!!! They slug it out on the inside, Nagashima landing most of the punches and pushing Ma into the ropes. Another uppercut by Ma, but Nagashima takes it and keeps chipping away at him. Great action here.

59-55 Nagashima

 

They're going to rob Kengo of this, aren't they? :sad2

Unlike Sithsaithong in the opener, I doubt he'll be satisfied with an "A for effort".

He totally outfought the Taiwanese despite giving up every measurable dimension, as well as raw power.

 

59-55
59-55
59-55

UD for Yao Yi Ma. atsch

 

Yao Yi Ma doesn't look all that jubilant - more like just glad it's over and ready to lie down with an icepack.

He is prompted to give a speech into a wireless mic while holding a trophy (similar to Tso's) and very briefly speaks a few syllables, sounding disgusted, then hastily exits the ring, handing the trophy off to someone on the apron.

I obviously don't speak Chinese, but to me that seemed like he was acknowledging that he wasn't the rightful winner?

 

The look on his face says it all, really.

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Props to him if he did indeed condemn the decision (at his own expense)

 

Had I eaten breakfast yet, what they just did to Nagashima would have caused me to lose it. :verysad

As it is, it's a bit of a chore to just keep my coffee down.