This content is protected Just the fourth career stoppage in nineteen pro bouts for east Asia's other Monster in the 120's range. I actually had considered doing a RBR for this as there was an international feed (making it and in fact not the NYE card in Japan the last televised boxing event of 2023) - and had I woken up at 6am for Ioka vs. Pérez would have absolutely done so - but after pulling the all-nighter and only narrowly avoiding disaster (I dozed off with laptop on chest midway into Shigesato vs. Ngiabphukhiaw and got up in time for a lengthy panic attack before the main event) there was simply no way. The overmatched victim from Calcutta had previously only ever been stopped by Sirichai Thaiyen.
I think it's about time we reevaluated Can Xu's KO loss to Leigh Wood. While I knew that Wood was underrated and gave him and outside chance, but KOing David Oliver Joyce and Reece Mould is on thing, KOing Can Xu is another. So I went with Can Xu. But still, in retrospect, the fact that he took 12 round straight of Leigh Wood bombs, way flusher than Conlan did and almost lasted the distance, really says something about the sturdiness of chin. His loss to Benitez however, maybe that was due to ring rust or his head not being in the right place, I don't know... I haven't seen that match. Hopefully this win restores a bit of confidence though, because he was on quite a roll there before being derailed by Wood.
