Shinsuke Yamanaka vs. Stephane Jamoye & Kiko Martinez vs. Hozumi Hasegawa RBR

Round 7

Hasegawa is doubling his jab out, snapping the right glove back to his face when done. Hasegawa is ducking as Martinez comes forward throwing deceptively light combos dusting atop his coif to lull him. Hasegawa is staying defensively responsible. Left hand leads, tripled up! Hasegawa is going from body to head. Hasegawa is CAUGHT in an exchange on the inside by an overhand, nose shattered. Hasegawa is on his knees until the count of eight. MARTINEZ LANDS BIG HOOKS ON THE BODY, A COUPLE MORE ON THE BLOOD-SMEARED FACE OF HASEGAWA, DOWN GOES THE CHALLENGER AGAIN!

TKO7!!

 

Huge ovation for Hasegawa, deserved.

He was at his absolute bravest today.

Even Kiko shows an outpouring of respect.

 

The finishing blow was actually just a glancing hook, which Hozumi was ducking and rolling with - but too much punishment had preceded it. A little contact was all Martinez needed at that point.

This content is protected

 

The Japanese Gatti

This content is protected

 

"No hard feelings, Mr. Byrd "

This content is protected

 

Stephane Jamoye was chilling in his dressing room, reclining and watching TV, until the NTV crew entered. When he noticed them he sprang up and just casually started to shadow box as if he weren't already caught slacking.

 

That arguably happened just now, all due respect to Martinez.

Considering that past his prime, after having suffered a couple of hard knockout losses and done some weight jumping above his peak weight of 118, taking on a solid little tank of a natural super bantam, he was up on my card (although half of the rounds were close ones in which he controlled most of them but got hurt almost enough to undo all his work...) is demonstrative of not only his mettle but the fact that he is - or rather, was, as hopefully this will be it - p4p Kiko's superior.

 

Shinsuke Yamanaka vs. Stephane Jamoye, 12 rounds @ bantamweight