This is another reason boxing is not prevalent in America anymore. The Japanese guys fight the best guys available to them coming up. Their learning curve is about 10 fights at most, and they start fighting other real contenders. And they aren't cast aside as a hype job if they happen to lose one or two along the way. On the other hand, we Americans reward guys for a perfect record who's fought poor competition years. Then as soon as he steps up and loses, we're finished with him. We are partly to blame for the lack of good fights. As much as we complain about, we turn on a guy when he loses and start looking at the next undefeated guy who hasn't fought anybody. Then when he loses, there's no demand for his fights anymore either. And so on. We've got to get over this "loss equals hype-job" mentality. We're missing out on a lot of good fights and potentially great fighters because of it.
A Japanese boxing overview, schedule (April 5, 2012) Japan currently has a record 8 world champions! Takahiro Ao defends his WBC SFW vs. Terdsak Kokietgym tomorrow Takashi Uchiyama spectaculary knocked out and retained his WBA SFW belt vs. interim champ Jorge Solis Toshiaki Nishioka punished ring legend Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas, awaits Donaire somewhere down the line Shinsuke Yamanaka defends WBC BW title vs. Vic Darchinyan tomorrow Koki Kameda defended the WBA BW but not looking good vs Nouldy Manakane Tamonobu Shimizu lost the WBA SFlyW to talented Thai Tepparith Singwancha Yota Sato upset WBC SFlyW champ Suriyan Sor Rungvisai Kazuto Ioka defended his WBC Minimumweight belt with a blowout of Yodgoen Tor Chalermchai Akira Yaegashi upset WBA MinW champ Pornsawan Porpramook via TKO in the 10th
Excellent card in Tokyo on Friday! Hozumi Hasegawa returns for the 1st time since his defeat to Jhonny Gonzalez, vs. - who else - an unbeaten Mexican Felipe Carlos Felix in a FW 10RDer. Takahiro Ao defends the WBC SFW belt vs. former JMM opponent Terdsak Kokietgym, should be an excellent fight. And rising star & WBC BW champ Shinsuke Yamanaka puts his belt on the line vs. the Raging Bull Vic Darchinyan, in the fight of the night that shouldn't be missed. Should be great! :deal
Yamanaka retained his belt via UD over Vic Darchinyan putting his name on the BW map, Aoh defended his title via close decision vs. Terdsak finishing strong for the win, while Hozumi Hasegawa is BACK with a brutal 7th round stoppage over previously unbeaten Felipe Carlos Felix.