GAB: Juan Martin Elorde vs. Samsul Maarif & Juan Miguel Elorde vs. Shohei Kawashima RBR

Danrex Tapdasan in the ring!

(in the GOAT ref conversation, for those don't really watch a lot of Pinoy boxing)

 

JME very popular in Parañaque.

 

Round 1

Kawashima is circling to his right, shooting his left jab out to neutralize Elorde's, meeting it midway to its target and diffusing it. Kawashima now moves left, continuing to unfurl a very long jab and looking to line up a right cross. Elorde is patiently stalking, matching Kawashima's movements as they both teeter laterally around each other with rocking-chair motions, until Elorde darts in with a 1-2 downstairs. Kawashima tries a long spearing right into the belt line, but Elorde skips out of the way. Now a lead right up top from Kawashima, again dodged with a reverse step by Elorde. NICE body combo from Elorde, tucking his chin and hurtling inside, throwing uppercuts with both hands as he charges, then quickly resetting at mid-range as soon as his cargo is unloaded. Kawashima is working the jab from outside, brushing the hairline of Elorde with it.

10-9 Elorde, good, close (but clearly won), high-skill opener.

 

Round 2

Kawashima is jabbing in up high at the same time as Elorde does the same down low, culminating in a clinch which Tapdasan is very quick to remedy with a bark of "BREAK". Nice chess game unfolding here, both men taking a turn sallying forward leading with the jab as the other counters and tiptoes away, in a lengthy dance where each is probing for weakness. BIG LEFT HOOK by Kawashima suddenly dashing forward. Elorde shakes it off and continues to circle and fence with Kawashima, rolling his left jab around Kawashima's left wrist like a vine growing on a gutter's downspout and flinging it aside. Kawashima is marching forward, putting the 1-2 just above the bridge of Elorde's nose and controlling his movement with the jab.

10-9 Kawashima, ultra clear for the Japanese challenger but Elorde still boxing well.

19-19

 

Round 3

Kawashima lands a big looping right to answer the bell while Elorde was off-balance with a brief misstep of his lead foot, causing Elorde to buckle slightly but quickly recover. Kawashima lands a HUGE overhand right stepping in after both feint some jabs at mid-range. Elorde is clapped on the shoulder by the next one, having scouted it now and knowing what's coming, he clasps both arms round the chest of Kawashima in a catch-and-release before circling again on the outside. Beautiful leftward-swooping dip-and-rise 1-2-3 by Elorde backing Kawashima out from the pocket. Kawashima is pressing in behind the jab, hitting the pinky edge of Elorde's left glove, backing him up. Elorde and Kawashima punch at the same time, Elorde with a counter left hook as Kawashima is falling atop him with an overhand right, somebody lands with a loud smack, hard to determine whom, maybe both - Kawashima falls into a tripod position with his left palm on the canvas but it seems more a slip from his momentum, and Danrex Tapdasan doesn't rule it a KD so that's good enough for me.

10-9 Kawashima, very close

29-28 Kawashima

 

One commentator says he thinks Elorde is controlling it so far, even though it has been a close and tactical fight. A bit of homer bias there IMO.

 

Round 4

Kawashima is walking Elorde down with the jab, leaving it suspended in his face and swirling around with fluid wrist motions. Elorde for his part just cowed against the ropes, maybe lying in wait for a chance to ambush Kawashima, but never pulling trigger. Kawashima dropping in some right hands on the front-foot. Elorde finally makes a desperate sortie off the ropes and plops in a couple of body shots before clinching. Kawashima is moving in and out & side to side, luring Elorde into an elaborate dance, checks & balances in the middle of the ring as each tries getting the upper proverbial hand with their footwork. The primary difference maker here is Kawashima's length advantage with the jab, holding Elorde at bay, catching him at every distance. Kawashima waiting until his feet are set and Elorde is clear in his sights before throwing his right cross, nothing wasted.

10-9 Kawashima

39-37 Kawashima

 

This has been close all the way, could definitely see having Elorde up at this point...or, more reasonably, a tie score.

 

Round 5

Kawashima is playing some patty-cake with Elorde, nudging him backwards as they jab into each other's yo-yo lefts. A minute in, nobody has thrown a non-jab...and not a lot of the jabs are in fact scoring either way. Everything is about positioning and tactical advantage, both men very cautious, overthinking each action to a fault, leading to some restlessness from the crowd. Finally a clubbing right from Elorde when Kawashima leans down perhaps anticipating they were going to clinch - landing on the side/rear of the neck, maybe partially on a legal scoring area. Kawashima is putting up jabs off the left hip now, doing a lot more posing than pressuring. BIG counter left hook by Elorde, leaping out from a corner in a blur of speed and blooping Kawashima on the kisser past a lazy jab. A couple more really nice hooks by Elorde near the bell. A sloppy over-reaching looping right downstairs by Kawashima.

10-9 Elorde

48-47 Kawashima

 

This is among the most bilaterally skillful boxing matches I've seen in a long time.

 

Round 6

Kawashima is jabbing his way in, Elorde crouching and pivoting off the ropes, putting up his counter jab Hungry-Hungry-Hippo style, palm-down, shooting it out just to gobble up Kawashima's left en route and push it down out of harm's way. Low blow, accidental. Kawashima is stalking, using a lot of stomp-feints, putting the jab halfway out at range but not really doing anything. BIG left hooks doubled up by Elorde, once more very successfully roaring to life from a standstill with a speedy ambush, stunning Kawashima. Long clinch by Kawashima, until Tapdasan demands a break. Elorde is edging his way along the perimeter, spine massaged by the ropes as he moves left, baiting Kawashima, tossing up counter jabs and rights at his forehead. Kawashima loading up and missing with big wild fastball-pitch right hands from outside.

10-9 Elorde

57-57

 

Commentator reiterates that Elorde is the one in control - which is a lot truer now than it was three rounds ago. They don't give a score but presumably have JME well ahead.

 

Round 7

Kawashima is jabbing up top and slinging roundhouse diving rights on the body, head ending up below Elorde's waist before he straightens himself up. Elorde is patiently circling, keeping the jab pumped out to hold Kawashima's in check, sidestepping the rights to roll with them, sometimes baring his flank or backside to prevent Kawashima from touching him with anything legal. Timely clinches by Elorde when Kawashima presses in close. Two minutes in, neither has landed anything telling. Round up for grabs. Elorde is backed up by a 1-2, nearly into a corner. Elorde jabbing and feigning a right as he lays against the ropes. Kawashima presses in and both men slip each other's jabs. Twenty seconds left, still no clear winner of this round. Big right hand speared in by Kawashima up top, missing. Elorde lands a whipping left hook, scoring obliquely. Another one misses attempting to counter a reach-in Kawashima jab. That first hook probably sealed an otherwise nothing round for the champion.

10-9 Elorde, incredibly close.

67-66 Elorde

 

The stunning girl from earlier now interviews the hilariously named Stanley Pringle, a black American dude who apparently is a big time star point guard in the PBA.

He's sitting ringside, enjoying himself...not really sure why he's being interviewed, though...but then I guess on US television broadcasts they do ask football players and rappers etc. how they like the fights, so fair play.

 

Round 8

Kawashima is waking up a bit after having sleepwalked for a few rounds. Kawashima setting his mark with a throwaway jab and chucking BIG right hands down at Elorde. Most are blocked on the forearms or slipped with a melt-away duck, but Elorde is shaken by a couple. Intense pressure from Kawashima, slamming down over and over with the right hand. Elorde doing more running and clinching than effective counter-punching. Elorde attempts to stand in and jab with Kawashima but is caught on the nose and forced backward. A couple of light body shots by Elorde.

10-9 Kawashima

76-76