5-Ishii again pressing and pressuring nice body shot and a hook up top, Ishida looking strong and taking them well, Ishida clinching when they get close, Ishii clearly in seek and destroy mode now likely knows that eye won't last long, lots of pressure and work inside from Ishii and Ishida responds with a big body shot, Ishii dropping his hands and inviting Ishida in, Ishida says "nah pal, I have long arms" and gets behind the jab. Ishii's early work takes that for me. 3-2 Ishii. Several close rounds, and his face is a mess...
6-Ishida picking Ishii off with the jab early in the round, pressure from Ishii, nice body shot from Ishii, he's not letting Ishii get time to create much space, nice Ishii jab, Ishii continues pressing but he's having mixed success, growing success late in the round though, and Ishida really has quietened this entire round. Lovely Ishii uppercut, and a left hook, he's turning it on and wobbles Ishida! Ishida suddenly looks knackered! 4-2 Ishii
7-Ishii pressing forward again, Ishida with a body shot, but he takes one and he takes a head shot, more body work form Ishii, Ishii with a jab, Ishida really not throwing much at all and moving a lot, nice jabs from Ishida as I say that, pressure from Ishii continues, a short right hand from Ishida, a good jab from Ishii, and ince again Ishida on the retreat, the moment Ishida built in rounds 3 and 4 has vanished and Ishii has fought remarkably given the cut he suffered , Ishida breaking out the straight shots late in the round but too little too late. 5-2 Ishii's face is ****ed but he's in the lead
8-Started delayed as Ishii had no gumshield, Ishii again on the offensive trying to get inside, forcing Ishida on to the ropes, Ishida needs to let his hands go early here as trying to steal rounds won't cut it, intense pressure from Ishii, right hand and a body shot from Ishii before Ishida clinches, left hook to the body from Ishii, jabs from Ishida, uppercut from Ishii, a sweeping right from Ishii, nice flurry of jabs and a right from Ishida, uppercut from Ishii gets through, a good burst of straight punches from Ishida, not enough of them from him TBH, big body shot from Ishii, a left hookd from Ishii. I have 6-2 Ishii...expecting a draw though...
Ishida gets it...SECOND poor decision on this card for me If you're from Kanto don't go and fight in Kansai folks
Hirai in green, Kano in blue 1-Very cautious start here, both guys fencing with their lead hands - the orthodox (Hirai) Vs southpaw (Kano) dynamic. Kano with a left to the body about 90 seconds into the bout, Hirai with a right. A long right from Hirai....erm...well...that was a crap round Very little from either man, Kano the quicker, Hirai the bigger, neither taking much risk, a lot of circling and respect.
2-Pace picking up in round 2, Kano becoming more aggressive and Hirai happy to play the role of awkward rangy counter puncher, nice body shot from Hirai, a good right from Hirai, Kano's jabs often falling short, really want to see ambition from Hirai - especially with the judging on this show, a good right from Hirai on the clacker. 19-19 Nothing much again but the little we had did come from Hirai
3-Kano looking like there's bounce in his toes and again he looks quicker, but there really isn't much substance to his work, a nice left from Kano, body shot from Hirai, Hirai with a straight and down goes Kano! Venue erupts in applause "finally something", Kano with a left and it seems being put down has inspired him to be more aggressive, Hirai with a good right. 10-8 round. 29-27
4-Kano pressing more to start the round, Kano with a good left, a good right from Hirai, nice little burst of offense from Hirai with a series of head shots, Hirai has got it in him to press the action but just doesn't seem to want to. 39-36 Hirai
