RBR - Fuji No Kuni - Tsubasa Murachi vs Ryotaro Kawabata

Next Koichi Aso (23-9-1, 15) v Shogo Yamaguchi (12-5-3, 7) 8 rounds at 62.5KG (contracted weight)

 

Yamaguchi has hair
Aso is shaven headed

 

1-Aso with a tight guard, marching forward, this is Aso doing Aso things from the off, Yamaguchi letting shots fly but tagging the guard of Aso, nice Yamaguchi body shot but it's returned with interest, and we're already seeing bombs back and forth, Aso does look a shadow of the fighter he once was but still the same old game plan, yamamguchi using his pressure legs to try and create space whilst Aso tries to get onto his chest, and we get a headclash, Aso the injured party...cut but the fight will go on...back to Aso trying to walk his man down, and we had a thrillign back and forth on the bell.

Yamaguchi landed the better shots. 10-9 Yamaguchi

 

2-Pressure from Aso again and he goes to the body, will be interesting to see if Yamamguchi can cope with this for more than 3 or 4 rounds, incessant pressure from Aso and Yamamguchi punching through the guard, trading body shots, and now just general trading on the inside, Yamamguchi backed into the corner but he escapes, taking it in turns to load up and fire off singles, Yamamguchi looking to outwork Aso on the inside, real fun round with Aso making Yamamguchi back up late on. 19-19

 

3-More of the same, high guard and pressure from Aso, but it does appear Yamaguchi is tiring and Aso getting where he wants a lot more often, body shot and head shot from Aso, more pressure, Yamaguchi unloads, this is just a fierce inside war now, shame Aso is a year or two past his best but still making for a real fun fight. 29-28 Aso

 

4-Yamamguchi coping with the pressure better here, but Aso still getting close and forcing his fight on the action, Yamamguchi tagging the guard, Yamaguchi tries unload but Aso fires back, Yamaguchi starts forcing Aso backwards. 38-38

 

5-Yamaguchi looks the fresher man now and Aso is looking his age a bit more, still pressure coming from Aso but he's being out landed up close and Yamaguchi is pushing him around, Aso is starting to look like a man who has started to run out of steam to keep up his output up close and as I say that he tried to finish the round on a high! 48-47 Yammaguchi

 

6-Aso digging deep and trying to get physical with Yammaguchi, lovely uppercut from Aso, Yamamguchi's work rate dropping now and Aso trying to bully him, good right hook from Aso, and another, Yamaguchi gives ground, Aso back up top, Yamaguchi goes to the body, both looking tired but biting down hard .57-57

 

7-Both just wailing away on each other, early in the round, but Yamaguchi seemed to hurt Aso who backed off for a moment, Aso fires back up close, Aso stumbled to his corner on the bell...wonder if this is it for it...can't be much more left in his career

 

8-Bombs away! Huge hooks being thrown straight away, Aso again giving ground, Aso seems to be backing up a lot now and Yamaguchi looks the stronger man, think he wants to make sure he gets the decision, Aso fighting back, head shots being traded as they encourage each other to unload! Great round!

76-76

 

77-75, twice, and 76-76, for Aso to take the majority decision

 

Up next - co feature Rentaro Kimura (1-0, 1) Vs Takafumi Iwaya (4-3)

 

I do not expect this one to last long...

 

1-Kimura getting behind his razor jab immediately and digs one to the body, Iwaya coming forward and eats an uppercut, and a left to the body, and another to the body, and another body shot, Iwaya coming in head first and gets tied up, a right to the body from Kimura, Kimura looking to line up the left and dings one on Iwaya's head, and a brutal body shot, Iwaya is a tough guy but taking some big shots, another uppercutt, and more body shots, **** me he's gonna be pissing blood

 

They zoomed in on Iwaya who had the face of someone who was thinking "why the **** did I take this fight?"

2-More body work from Kimura, the kid looks a natural, Kimura holding when he needs to, Iwaya coming in head down every time now, another gut buster, from Kimura, and an uppercut up top, and another, and another downstairs, and a left hand up top wobbles Iwaya, a right uppercut from Kimura up top, he's show casing everything in the book, Kimura tries to behead Iwaya with an uppercut that just glances the poor victim.