The renaissance of Japanese professional boxing

Mike Hancho (RicardoTubbs220) made two very nice HD highlights of Hasegawa and Nishioka, check them out!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHea91AtWuM[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfxPTRhJ-4[/ame]


It's interesting BTW that just like Cubans, the Japanese have a lot of lefties on top, Nishioka, Ao, Hasegawa and Koki Kameda all fight out of the southpaw stance. Ao is a good fighter too and had a nice little clash with Vitali Tajbert the other day. Too bad it's not on youtube.

 

Shiiiiit, Uchiyama-Solis is postponed, likely to late Jan/early Feb. Solis is ill.

 

All 3 Kameda brothers won yesterday, Tomoki blew away his overmatched opponent, Daiki recieved a debatable decision in his title defense and Koki Kameda captured his 3rd world title in as many divisions. Koki picked up the WBA BW belt that became vacant when the awful WBA decided to promote the underrated Anselmo Moreno to super champ. The infamous boxer took on former two-time SFlyW champ Alexander Munoz and won the fight by UD, though he came close to stop the Venezuelan in the 12th as he was able to drop Munoz and hurt him later too. There could be an argument about the title's legitimacy, but the WBA crowned Japan's 7th world champion nontheless.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWepQuPKNQM[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BloosRSrOAQ[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeFGRZLPD40[/ame]

 

That's because the Jap boxing scene is not full of greedy moneymen only looking for their own interest and cherrypicking fighters only in for the money. They do it right. Only recognize the WBA and WBC as world titles so there's no ABC chaos, boxers get enough media attention professional and personal wise (respectful way, not tabloid style) and they are not only mostly exciting fighters, but respectful persons, credit to the sport (except for the controversial Kamedas), they fight anyone and travel if necessary, and promoters not just make the TV deal and cut their share off the network fee, but they put a lot of effort to pack the arenas. There's also no overhyping prospects and most come through the packed local scene with one of multiple losses (as there's little amateur background), so no hysteria around boxing records either. They don't do everything right of course and debated outcomes happen every now and then, but what they do right outweighs what they do wrong multiple times, and it's the complete opposite in the US. MMA only ride the waves of this situation in America, the question is if it's too late to get the momentum back - and if there's anyone looking for the sport's interest.

 

A little update of schedule:

Uchiyama now takes on Jorge Solis replacement Takashi Miura and Li Lee fights Shimoda on Jan 31. Nobuo Nashiro tries to get a SFlyW title vs. Tomas Rojas in a possible barn-burner on Feb 5., while 6-0 (!) Kazuto Ioka challenges 35-0-1 Oleydong Sithsamerchai of Thailand for the WBC MinW title on Feb 11.

Also, expect Takahiro Ao vs. Mexican TBA (I'd guess Solis or Gutierrez) and Hozumi Hasegawa vs. Jhonny Gonzalez somewhere in Mexico in the 1st 4 months of 2011.

 

Shimoda upsets Li Lee in war, Uchiyama wins 'Takashi fight' fight in punchfest!

THAT'S how you start the new year - just when you thought the kick-off is all disappointment, a dramatic, high quality, all-out double-header involving 4 Japanese warriors and 5 knockdowns said NOW let 2011 begin - and it did. So just before Junuary went out we already had a FOTY and an upset of the year candidate.

Call it a double co-incidence, but after prodicing my upset ot the year in 2010 as Ryol Li Lee beet #1 SBW Poonsawat by UD, he himself was upset by UD by Akifumi Shimoda in a war that produced 4 knockdowns and an excitement of 4 good fights. Great slugfest and with Shimoda the WBA SBW title remains in Japan continuing the country's recent renessaince.

Double coincidence because this fight copied last years events as right after JC Salgado shocked J Linares in 2009's upset of the year, Takashi Uchiyama quickly put him away January 2010, and he hasn't stopped ever since. But the WBA SFW champion had his hands full in a punchfest vs. fellow Takashi Miura. Uchiyama, controlling the fight early with a power jab but being bothered with an accidental headbutt, went down hard by a left in R3, only to come back firing in the next rounds as both Takashis started to mark up due to the clash of heads and fists. Champ Takashi's dominance only became clear after R6 as Challenger Takashi's right eye started to close and Uchiyama just couldn't miss with the head-snapping jab anymore. The fight was stopped after R8 by the ref, TKO win for the champion.

Check out both fights, they made 2011's lackluster start look exciting!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvVI-087Sk[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIxUeMPz2N4[/ame]