Kōsei Tanaka vs. Ryōichi Taguchi & Kento Hatanaka vs. Songsaeng Phoyaem RBR

Round 5

Taguchi is getting twirled and hit with 1-2's and 1-2-1s. Tanaka hooking the body, ducking in, rising up directly in front of Taguchi and chopping down across his cheek with another left hook. Tanaka materializing almost behind Taguchi at times, and effortlessly switching to southpaw to spear him with more straight combos before reverting orthodox. Taguchi reaches out to jab and Tanaka punishes him with a fast and VICIOUS check hook, stomping down and cigarette-snuffing with his lead foot as he connects while leaning away but twisting his body inward on the follow-through. More nice jabs from Tanaka, playing matador very effectively.

10-9 Tanaka

49-46 Tanaka

 

Yeah, being a big Taguchi fan myself, to me there is no call for another 7 rounds of "giving him every chance" if he doesn't find a way to seize the reins back here (and if Tanaka lacks the pop to put him away neatly). Corner should be having a look soon.

 

Round 6

Taguchi is bravely tossing left hooks up top and right uppercuts on the chest as he falls in breathlessly atop Tanaka, but the counter punches are coming in fast & furious and Taguchi can barely even see them coming - not least because he is bowing down to face the canvas. NICE uppercut by Taguchi on the inside, jacking up Tanaka's jaw momentarily, but immediately they break apart to about mid-range and Tanaka just covers, weathering the storm as Taguchi flails at him, and then loading up on big pot shots body hooks and straights on the head when Taguchi slows down.

10-9 Tanaka

59-55 Tanaka

 

Round 7

Looping right by Taguchi sliding inside on an outstretched front leg, but Tanaka gets some distance with a left hook on the jaw, then a skewering right on the pectorals while backing up. Tanaka having target practice now, as Taguchi is too fatigued to cut off the ring in enough of a hurry to clinch & stall. Tanaka just picking him off at the end of his blows and rocking him but Taguchi still intelligently defending himself and trying to fight his way into this, grinding in close, hooking the body, tying up until Steve Willis calls for a break. Shoeshine flurries on the face by Tanaka. Left jab by Taguchi, slipped and countered with a 1-2 between the gloves by Tanaka. Hard body shots by Tanaka, pressing Taguchi into a corner and pushing down on his nape until Willis pushes them apart. Tanaka slips a few Taguchi jabs and jumps in with a superman right hand.

10-9 Tanaka

69-64 Tanaka

 

Apparently if Kosei wins it means we get more of these streams in the future.

At least I'm pretty sure that's BP's invested stake here, maybe he also happens to be more of a fan of Kōsei than Ryōichi - but I'll let him answer for himself.