E & J Cassius Gym 15th Anniversary Meeting with DANGAN (AKA Koura Vs Dante) RBR

4-Pressure again from Tameda, this fight has fallen into a remarkably dull patter. Tameda chases, Arizala circles on the ropes, Arizala takes a few shots, then moves on....well same again here, Arizala is doing enough to get Tameda's respect but not enough to be competitive,

 

5-Tameda seems to be hunting a bit more intently, Arizala is starting to struggle now, good shots flying in from Tameda but Arizala sees out the round. A splattering of applause.

 

6-Tameda going through the gears again! Arizala taking a pounding, but he's surviving, until he eats a big right! He's out standing and the referee immediately jumps in and saves the Filipino. Dull fight but the guy trying to win won!

 

Next up - Mirai Naito (6-1, 2) v Phirom Khenphukhiao (1-1, 1)

 

Looks like a public spar between Rikki Naito and Akihiro Kondo first...Naito is expected to announce a bout in the UK in the near future...

 

For those confused reading this, Rikki and Mirai Naito are the sons of Cassius (Cassius Naito, the promoter), the show is to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the gym opening and is being used as a chance to raise the profile of Rikki before his next bout, which is supposedly going to be a big one....

 

Also yay! The crowd aren't dead...but there's no noise at all during this exhibition, Kondo was wobbled...must have been a balance thing...Rikki has lovely hand speed, shame he slaps most of his punches and hasn't a gas tank for a good 12 rounds (as we've seen a few times now)

just a 2 round spar here, expecting an announcement afterwards though...

 

Now the Mirai Naito fight

 

1-Naito pressing forward behind the southpaw jab, Thai giving little, body shot from Miria, Mirai with a couple more to the body, drops the visitor on the clacker, bell rings seconds after he gets up

 

2-Thai bundled to the canvas from a flurry, spits his gum shield out and narrowly beats the 10 count, down again, body shots, up at 8, ref waves it off. TKO2 Naito

 

Tsubasa Koura (14-0, 9) v Lito Dante (15-10-4, 7)

OPBF title on the line, Koura seeking his 4th defense and Dante looking looking for his biggest win to date

 

Yeah, expecting him to win, but a stoppage would be VERY impressive given how Dante's gone the distance with guys like Saludar and Khonco

 

1-Dante taking center ring and Koura on the outside, flaying jabs at the challenger, good body jab from the champion, and a really sweet right hand on the cheek, a right to the body form Koura, a right up top from Koura, a sweeping hook from Dante, a solid left to the body from Koura, Dante unloading some messy shots up close, Dante is trying to get inside and rough Koura up right through, Koura with a lovely little uppercut, a body shot from Koura again, another solid right this time as a counter from Koura, and another left to the body, Dante hasn't got the footspeed to get inside with any consistency, 10-9 Koura

 

2-Dante eats a crisp uppercut early, more of the same from Dante who trudges in whilst Koura is on the move, nice body shot from Koura, Dante with a slapping right, Koura eats an uppercut, and another, Dante having more success and Koura holds to force the referee to split them, big over-hand right from Dante, a good body shot from Koura, another right from Dante, and another, Koura not creating space this round - and not working with it when he does have have it, both land short rights, a cracking body shot from Koura, and a right from Koura, Koura leaning in on the inside, Dante turning this into a brawl! 19-19