Thammanoon Niyomtrong vs. Norihito Tanaka RBR

Round 1

Niyomtrong is prodding the chest with a jab, backing Tanaka up and then falling in with a 1-2, not quite reaching as Tanaka leaps clear. Tanaka spends most of the round maneuvering behind a high guard but does clap Niyomtrong with a right on the back of the head and one dash-in left hook grazing the chin.

10-9 Niyomtrong, close

 

Round 2

Niyomtrong pursuing, every few steps lurching forward bent over at the waist to chuck in body combos. Tanaka rolling his arms fist over fist in front of himself or shaking them at his sides while dancing around, sometimes landing pot shot counter jabs. Niyomtrong spearing lead rights at the head.

10-9 Niyomtrong, close, really nothing happening

20-18 Niyomtrong

 

Round 3

Niyomtrong content to fire a jab or single 1-2 marching forward and soaking up the cheers of the crowd anytime he does anything. Tanaka is waving his left glove in the air disruptively and then falling into clinches, simply collapsing his body down into Niyomtrong's like a felled tree. Very little clean boxing of note. Tanaka peppering in cheeky jabs here and there while dancing in & out up on his toes. He pays for it, down from a well timed counter hook as Niyomtrong swooped up in a wide arc from a crouch. Tanaka is saved by the bell.

10-8 Niyomtrong

30-26 Niyomtrong

 

Round 4

Niyomtrong now giving Tanaka no respect, just smacking the **** out of him with wide left hooks stomping in. Tanaka desperately tosses overhand rights, trying not to get trapped on the ropes. Tanaka tries clinching but is plugged with a hard uppercut on the body. Niyomtrong with intense pressure now, taking huge home run swings with 1-2s downstairs. Niyomtrong ducks and weaves under an overhand right and bops Tanaka with a double left hook. They circle warily and pose, both using lots of wrist-twitch feints.

10-9 Niyomtrong

40-35 Niyomtrong

 

Tanaka has a chin, but of course we know that by the fact that he went ten with prime Yaegashi back in 2011..

 

Round 5

Niyomtrong attacking pretty wildly now, abandoning his jab. Sometimes his lunging combos hit paydirt and he's able to lather up connecting sequences of half a dozen shots evenly distributed to head and body as Tanaka gets overwhelmed navigating the corner, but each time he is able to rap a couple of backhanded jabs off Niyomtrong's face to get free.

10-9 Niyomtrong

50-44 Niyomtrong

 

Round 6

Tanaka in survival mode, gliding around the ring getting nicked with hooks on the body and jabs on the face, and barely throwing anything back. Just a few go-away jabs and bowling motion uppercuts hopping in before scrambling away before Niyomtrong calls his bluff and bashes him with body combos.

10-9 Niyomtrong

60-53 Niyomtrong

 

Round 7

Niyomtrong with an adjustment, seemingly willing to take the L on missing the first couple of shots in each reach-in combustion, and intentionally saving up most of his energy and snap for the hook punctuating a 1-2-3 after just casually floating the jab and cross. Tanaka falls for it - once. Doesn't like the taste of the hook and spends the rest of the round out-bicycling the champ.

10-9 Niyomtrong

70-62 Niyomtrong

 

Just a bit more focused body work and I think Niyomtrong could position himself within sight of endgame.

 

Camera just cut away from the ring for a full 20 seconds to show a few slack-jawed gawkers in the audience. Ch7, please fire your technical director immediately.

 

Round 8

Niyomtrong is piling on body shots, endlessly stalking. Tanaka is jittering around, tossing diversionary straight counters, and barrel-rolling into clinches. Totally negative from the challenger, making no attempt to score points or hurt Niyomtrong.

10-9 Niyomtrong

80-71 Niyomtrong

 

Round 9

Niyomtrong throwing majority body shots, high percentage landing ..just too much wily movement and timely clinching from Tanaka. Occasional jabs and overhand rights by Tanaka, just excuses to fall inside and drape his arms over Niyomtrong like a fire blanket. Even on the inside Niyomtrong shrugging his shoulder to keep percussing Tanaka's body with his freer fist.

10-9 Niyomtrong

90-80 Niyomtrong