RBR Dynamic Glove - Hironobu Matsunaga Vs Yuta Shimizu

First bout saw Kodai Kobayashi (1-0) take a UD4 over Shunsuke Miyauchi (0-2)

Second bout (going now)
Shigetoshi Kotari (1-0, 1) Vs Motosuke Kimura (3-4-2, 1)
1-Kimura dropped Kotari in the opening round (looping southpaw left hook...how that landed on a highly regarded prospect I will never know)

2-Very cautious, Kotari playing very safe, Kimura has nothing other than a wild charge every so often

3-Similar again, this isn't a great one to watch

4-Ooooh Kotari coming alive, catches his man with a big right hand, and wobbles him! Kimura survives, and we now see the two men fighting like they had in the previous 2 rounds. ****ing hell this is a **** poor bout, styles haven't gelled at all, Kotari is terrified of being countered, Kimura is only looking for counters, a sweeping left hook from Kotari lands nicely, Kotari trying to draw a lead to counter but Kimura not biting.

There was 2 good counters from Kimura that round, but very negative from him.

 

5-Kotari working the buddy, buddy, buddy, big headclash when Kimura comes forward, bout is paused for a moment, no cuts, messy stuff now, Kimura looks tired, Kotari rocks Kimura but no immediate follow up. The fact Kotari (who went 50-23 in the amateurs) hasn't figured Kimura out is a huge worry for his future.

 

6-Kotari continues coming forward in a super cautious manner, Kimura doing little himself but he wasn't supposed to win or shine - and he scored the only really meaningful blow of the fight,

Kotari gets the decision, Kimura gets the big moral victory. Awful fight

 

Kenshi Noda (2-0, 2) v Toshiki Kawamitsu (4-0, 1)

 

1-Both letting shots go early, Noda is the much hard hitting but Kawamitsu is picking shots well and landed a beaut to the body, Noda pressing and having success, lovely uppercut from Noda, Kawamitsu backs Noda up with body work, Kawamitsu lands a nice little combination up top, Noda with a big head shot just before the bell.

GREAT opening round!

 

2-Kawamitsu pumping out the jab early and Noda letting the men stay at range to begin, and then they get close and the tempo instantly picks up, Kawamitsu landing the better shots overall, Noda getting behind his jab at range now and looks more suited to the long game, big body shot from Noda, Kawamitsu has success with his jab but takes a big body shot, combo up top from Noda, and another body shot from Noda, Kawamitsu returns the favour

Holy crap this is great!

 

Big questions for Noda to answer about his stamina he has never been beyond round 1. Kawamitsu has got the advantage in terms of proven stamina

3-Kawamitsu hurt to begin the round, he grits it out, and now Noda hurt, Noda down-slip, they are unloading in center ring, Noda down again - slip, both standing square on and letting shots rip, Noda wobbled, he fires back, Noda down again-slip again, he looks exhausted, Kawamitsu keeping the pressure on, Noda looking ragged as hell, down again - Push, Noda's legs are rubbery, Kawamitsu feels a stoppage coming, Noda down again - clear pull but the ref gives this one. Trading to the bell.

****ING WAAAAR!

10-8 Kawamitsu

 

4-Noda looks close to spent, Kawamitsu looking to press and pressure, Kawamitsu letting shots go and once again Noda's falling apart, and down-slip again, body shot from Noda, bombs from Noda as he looks to try and turn this around, but he's put on to the back foot and retreats at haste, Kawamitsu will not be denied and finally the referee steps in...

 

Co-Feature time...former world title challenger Ryohei Takahashi (18-4-1, 8) v Kiyohei Endo (3-3, 3)

 

Although he's not done it as a pro Endo was raved about when he turned pro and had gone 42-18 in the amateurs...then got stopped by a random Thai on debut and never got going afterwards

1-Endo is boxing nicely, Takahashi is showing him respect and Endo has taken center ring, Takahashi trying to box technically, think the idea is to get some rounds with a southpaw before facing a top Japanese lefty TBH, Takahashi backed up by a body shot, Endo having genuine success through the round.

 

2-Takahashi backing off again early on, he looks much better when he turns the table and comes forward, Takashi lands and gets some mild applause (cheering still not really allowed due to virus measures), Endo landing plenty of shots of his own, can see the amateur foundations of Endo here and he seems to be building his confidence well, lovely body shot by Endo backs up Takahashi, ...think he may have hurt there actually, no real response from Takahashi until quite a bit later

 

3-Endo down early - looked like a push in real time, but still given a count and he's not hurt, still it undoes his good work from earlier on, Takahashi put on the back foot again, a good right from Takahashi who goes to the body, body work comes back from Endo, a stiff left from Endo up top, think Endo's team feel that Takahashi is hurt, Takahashi clinches on to an arm of Endo,

 

4-Endo seems to have a point to prove and he is making Takahashi back up...a lot, a lot of ugly inside work with Takahashi holding on, a lovely 1-1-2 from Endo, really all Endo through the first 2 minutes, Takahashi firing back more in the final minute but not enough to take the round.

I have Endo winning after 4...

 

5-Big body shot from Takahashi to kick the round off, Endo pressing and Takahashi not showing much, only single shots from Takahashi, lovely straight left from Endo up top, Takahashi with a right and Endo responds, pace has dropped off somewhat

 

6-Endo on the canvas - this one correctly rules a slip! Takahashi looking like a man trying to get the juices flowing, nice flurry from Endo, Takahashi on the run before setting himself and firing back, Takahashi down! Erm....okay...referee then rules a slip?I think...lost there, very odd...Takahashi had extra time to recover but he's still looking dazed and Endo is going for him. Not sure what the referee did, but that was a very very dominant and clear round from Endo