TBS: Kazuto Ioka vs. Ryoji Fukunaga & Akihiro Kondo vs. Aso Ishiwaki RBR

Round 8

Fukunaga is getting dragged into a phonebooth dogfight now, with Ioka ripping hooks on the body in multiples. Fukunaga having more success when he takes a step outside and throws a looping lead left, but he keeps getting drawn in to exchanges where Ioka is pounding his mush with short rights and slashing the left across his midsection. Ioka then begins to skip around the perimeter, taking a break for the final half-minute after having banked plenty of clean scoring.

10-9 Ioka

76-76

 

Round 9

Fukunaga is getting caught with left hooks and right uppercuts downstairs even as he crouches low and covers his torso with his arms while circling Ioka at ring center. Fukunaga is throwing combinations of his own, finding Ioka too slippery a target on the inside. They swap jabs pretty evenly while orbiting each other, then Ioka stamps Fukunaga on the face with a few crisp right hands. Fukunaga with some lefts and 1-2s, making at least partial contact on the moving skull of Ioka. Fukunaga is spraying right jabs into the guard of Ioka, maybe half a dozen unanswered but none landing, just light watch-the-birdies on different trajectories, maybe attempting to disrupt or disorient Ioka. The champ stays composed.

10-9 Ioka, close

86-85 Ioka

 

Round 10

Fukunaga is leaving his right arm extended fully, using it like a push-pole to walk Ioka down and into the ropes. Big left hands sailing over the top from Fukunaga. Ioka putting up a turtle shell and getting poked in the belly with right jabs. Fukunaga dropping his gloves to his thighs now, leaning and swaying to either side, displaying lots of confident swagger now as he occasionally rides a wave in with big left hands, either straights or uppercuts. Fukunaga staying on top of Ioka with a trickle of right jabs. The champ lands the occasional flush counter left upper-hook, but too little.

10-9 Fukunaga

95-95

 

Even if he does escape with his belt, and especially if he doesn't, I kinda want Ioka to retire again, for good.

On the one hand I'd love him to ride into the sunset on top with a belt in hand... on the other, if he still has one, he'll be tempted down the path of unification glory, but I don't want to see Ancajas get an undeserved W over him just because he's shot.