Marjohn Kiunisala Yap vs. Takafumi Nakajima RBR

Bottom of the hour.

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The card started at 5:45pm local time in Tokyo (4:45am EST). The main event for the Oriental & Pacific bantamweight title (Yap's 3rd defense) is set to start at 20:39 local time (7:39am EST).

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Marjohn Kiunisala Yap vs. Takafumi Nakajima, 12 rounds @ bantamweight

 

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Round 1

Nakajima is jabbing and backing into the ropes, chopping down at Yap with the right hand when he rushes in. Yap is holding up the left arm vertically, piercing his way in with the elbow held out like a spear, and then hooking the body and shooting up top w/ straights.

10-9 Yap

 

Round 2

Nakajima is pushing out his right palm from just beside his neck to catch Yap's jabs, then countering with his own. Nakajima stepping in to lead, dropping a paddle-ball jab off Yap's forehead. Heavy blows from Yap in spurts, chasing Nakajima into the ropes. Nice hooks and stiff jabs worked by Yap with the left hand, moving to his left or darting forward in sudden motions.

10-9 Yap, close

20-18 Yap

 

Round 3

Nakajima is defending, arms steepled or crossed horizontally one folded over another or held up as goal posts. Nakajima is screening out power shots well but having very chances to rally offensively. Yap is throwing HARD left hooks at the body and icepick rights up top. Nakajima hopping in and out with the jab and 1-2, never setting his feet.

10-9 Yap

30-27 Yap

 

Round 4

Nakajima is able to settle the pace down, using more in & out movement, forcing Yap to lunge with his shots, missing low with a few of his left hooks while the headhunting rights & combos are mostly blocked. Nakajima is walking forward now, hooking off the jab, smothering Yap and pushing him into the ropes. BIG counter left hook by Yap in an exchange, taken well by Nakajima. Tables continue to be turned as Nakajima slaps Yap in the face with consecutive short quick left hooks.

10-9 Nakajima, although Yap got in his best shot of the day so far.

39-37 Yap

 

Round 5

Nakajima has the hometown crowd rallying behind him as he leads the charge once more unto the breach, hammering down on Yap with overhand rights, swimming a breast-stroke across the ring with it. Steadying left jabs to stay Yap's retreat when he makes overtures toward exiting stage right, keeping him on the rails. Nakajima flying at him with hooks and overhands. Yap a little uncomfortable now, seeking out shelter on the ropes and tying up where he can. Yap finally able to spin Nakajima against the ropes and get off some power shots of his own, but too little to steal this one back.

10-9 Nakajima, objectively huge round for the Japanese challenger. (even ignoring the deafening partisan approval for his action)

48-47 Yap

 

Round 6

Nakajima is forcing Yap backward, jabbing the chest and uppercutting the belt line while dipping forward. Yap is mirroring his combos while backing up, doubling jabs into Nakajima's chest and leaning against him to swap uppercuts downstairs. Very close slug-fest in the middle of the ring. Nakajima managing to be first in exchanges, and last in most of them. Yap needs a second wind or to hope that Nakajima flags soon.

10-9 Nakajima

57-57

 

Round 7

Nakajima is sticking the jab into Yap's face, mixing in stiff ones and flutters. Yap is eating them all, head snapping back involuntarily. Yap is standing his ground every few steps and ripping big hooks up top. Nakajima able to slip them with bows of the head to his left, or deflecting them off the back of his right glove. Nakajima is confidently pressing the action, using a slight crouch and some leans to either side to avoid getting flattened by Yap's hail-Mary counters.

10-9 Nakajima

67-66 Nakajima

 

Round 8

Nakajima is slowing a touch from the last two frames, engaging in a more tactical chess match now with Yap, looking for openings while circling at mid-range at cruising velocity. Yap is finding a home for his jab, feinting it up high but then popping it on the waistband and scoring. Yap is up on his toes, boxing agilely with the jab now dialed in, scoring at every altitude. Nakajima has let the play get away from him, now following Yap and getting out-jabbed.

10-9 Yap, close but clear, much-needed comeback!

76-76

 

Round 9

Nakajima is sprinting after Yap, knifing out quick backhanded jabs like shurikens. Looping rights into the diaphragm and left hooks on the liver by Nakajima as he bangs Yap into the ropes with clattering body combos after maneuvering him more than halfway there with just the jab in his face. Yap is doing his best to cut the wind from Nakajima's sails, pushing a double jab into the gut and slicing a can-opener right at him but forced to yield or tie up at intervals.

10-9 Nakajima

86-85 Nakajima

 

Round 10

Nakajima is digging deep and causing another upswell of vocal crowd support, visibly tired and unable to maintain his guard consistently, eating some hard jabs and flash combos from Yap but feeding his own steadily into Yap's face and hunkering down to poke the body. Nakajima straightening up from his coiled stance with BIG right hands up top, causing the audience to scream in a reverie as Yap flees to clear the cobwebs.

10-9 Nakajima

96-94 Nakajima

 

Round 11

Nakajima is rushing after Yap, arms low, baiting Yap to slug with him, raising his arms overhead both to encourage his opponent to stand in the pocket and to play to his crowd, who love it. Yap isn't cooperating, flitting around the ring, impaling Nakajima with counter jabs and planting his feet just long enough to sprinkle in light hooking body combos before circling wide again, using quick feet, skirting the perimeter of the ropes.

10-9 Yap (although many judges would punish him for disengaging so much and reward Nakajima for being the ineffective aggressor - judges could be swayed the latter's way especially given the immense noise from his Tokyo faithful)

105-104 Nakajima

 

Cameraman is so into the fight he pointed his phone at the damn floor/ring apron for more than 15 seconds of the exciting 12th!