Rikiishi stops Baconaje, Matsumoto retains, Ishii sets up Japanese title fight
Earlier today we had the latest Phoenix Battle card from Korakuen Hall, in what was a notable show, which featured hotly tipped prospects, domestic contenders, a domestic champion and a world ranked contender.
The first notable fighter on the show was 2023 East Japan Rookie of the Year winner Ryunosuke Takaguma (9-3, 4) [高熊龍之介], who bounced back from a competitive June loss to the much touted Shogo Tanaka with an easy win over Wutthichai Montri (3-3, 2). Started well Takaguma and landed a hard left hand to the body in the opening round, sending his foe down for the 10 count with less than 2 minutes of the bout gone.
The first of two very highly regarded Ohashi Gym prospects in action was Yuta Sakai (2-0, 2) [坂井優太], who looked sensational as he beat Thai visitor Sujaritchon Surampai (3-1, 3). The Thai, who missed weight yesterday by well over 1KG, couldn’t use his weight to his advantage and was quickly being tagged by Sakai’s razor sharp jab, and when Surampai came forward Sakai tagged with a spiteful right hook and a nasty left hand that got an audible reaction from the fans. Late in the opening round a right hand to the body from Sakai dropped Surampai for the first knockdown of the fight. Surampai was down again, early in round 2, from a straight left hand. Whilst he got up from both knockdowns it was clear the referee wasn’t going to let him be used as a human punch bag for long, and after being rocked by a right hook the referee came in and waved it off.
A second unbeaten Ohashi prospect in action was the exciting Sora Tanaka (2-0, 2) [田中空], who took a very solid step up in class, as he smashed Thai visitor Chan Sala (11-4, 7). From the off Tanaka looked to press the action and tried to break down Sala’s guard with uppercuts in the opening round. In round 2 Tanaka went up a gear, letting shots go, knocking Sala down with a right hand, and then jumping on him on the resumption until the referee saved the out-gunned Thai.
In a Japanese Super Bantamweight eliminator we saw some pretty competitive action as Toshiya Ishii (8-1-2, 5) [石井渡士也] booked his place at the Champion Carnival next yet, with a decision win over Jun Ikegawa (7-1-2, 2) [池側純]. These two had fought, to a draw, in 2022 and the expectation was that there would be little to split them again here, and that looked to be the case early on. Ikegawa started well, with his sharp left hand catching the eye whilst Ishii tried to press. Sadly the early stages also saw several headclashes between the two men, with Ikegawa’s southpaw stance and Ishii’s pressure from the orthodox stance leading to clashes. After a good start Ikegawa began to feel the pressure with Ishii’s aggression starting to have notable success in round 3 and 4. Sadly for Ikegawa he lacked the tools needed to deal with the pressure and was deducted a point for holding in round 4.
The tempo slowed in round 5, but Ishii’s pressure continued to come as he refused to back away from Ikegawa, who was landing clean shots but lacked the pop needed to really make them count. The pressure impressed the judges, and after 8 rounds the scores, all in favour of Ishii, were 77-74, twice, and 78-73.
With the win Ishii likely sets up a 2025 rematch with Toshiki Shimomachi (19-1-3, 12) [下町俊貴], with the two men having fought to a thrilling draw earlier this year.
The judges weren’t needed in the chief support bout as we saw how good Japanese Featherweight champion Keisuke Matsumoto (12-0, 8) [松本 圭佑] really is, as do recorded his 4th defense and became the first to stop Kimihiro Nakagawa (10-7-2, 5) [中川公弘]. Matsumoto had promised to show us something different and go for a KO, and he managed to deliver.
Nakagawa looked to jump on the champion at the start, but Matsumoto remained calm, got behind his boxing, and saw out the first round. In round 2 the champion gave us some fireworks, dropping Nakagawa very early in the round with left to the body and a right up top. Nakagawa got up but was down again soon afterwards from a flurry, while a right hand later in the round would secure him a 3rd knockdown. Nakagawa’s heart couldn’t be questioned as he got up again, but the referee had seen enough and saved the challenger from further punishment.
The main event will saw world ranked Super Featherweight contender Masanori Rikiishi (16-1, 11) [佐藤政法] score something of a stay busy win over Filipino fighter Arnel Baconaje (17-9, 12). Rikiishi took his time in the first round, using his jab and movement well before unleashing a right hook late in the round that shook Baconaje. In round 2 Rikiishi came out with some intent, pressing forward, taking out Baconaje with a left uppercut-right hook combination that dropped Baconaje for the 10 count.
The first notable fighter on the show was 2023 East Japan Rookie of the Year winner Ryunosuke Takaguma (9-3, 4) [高熊龍之介], who bounced back from a competitive June loss to the much touted Shogo Tanaka with an easy win over Wutthichai Montri (3-3, 2). Started well Takaguma and landed a hard left hand to the body in the opening round, sending his foe down for the 10 count with less than 2 minutes of the bout gone.
The first of two very highly regarded Ohashi Gym prospects in action was Yuta Sakai (2-0, 2) [坂井優太], who looked sensational as he beat Thai visitor Sujaritchon Surampai (3-1, 3). The Thai, who missed weight yesterday by well over 1KG, couldn’t use his weight to his advantage and was quickly being tagged by Sakai’s razor sharp jab, and when Surampai came forward Sakai tagged with a spiteful right hook and a nasty left hand that got an audible reaction from the fans. Late in the opening round a right hand to the body from Sakai dropped Surampai for the first knockdown of the fight. Surampai was down again, early in round 2, from a straight left hand. Whilst he got up from both knockdowns it was clear the referee wasn’t going to let him be used as a human punch bag for long, and after being rocked by a right hook the referee came in and waved it off.
A second unbeaten Ohashi prospect in action was the exciting Sora Tanaka (2-0, 2) [田中空], who took a very solid step up in class, as he smashed Thai visitor Chan Sala (11-4, 7). From the off Tanaka looked to press the action and tried to break down Sala’s guard with uppercuts in the opening round. In round 2 Tanaka went up a gear, letting shots go, knocking Sala down with a right hand, and then jumping on him on the resumption until the referee saved the out-gunned Thai.
In a Japanese Super Bantamweight eliminator we saw some pretty competitive action as Toshiya Ishii (8-1-2, 5) [石井渡士也] booked his place at the Champion Carnival next yet, with a decision win over Jun Ikegawa (7-1-2, 2) [池側純]. These two had fought, to a draw, in 2022 and the expectation was that there would be little to split them again here, and that looked to be the case early on. Ikegawa started well, with his sharp left hand catching the eye whilst Ishii tried to press. Sadly the early stages also saw several headclashes between the two men, with Ikegawa’s southpaw stance and Ishii’s pressure from the orthodox stance leading to clashes. After a good start Ikegawa began to feel the pressure with Ishii’s aggression starting to have notable success in round 3 and 4. Sadly for Ikegawa he lacked the tools needed to deal with the pressure and was deducted a point for holding in round 4.
The tempo slowed in round 5, but Ishii’s pressure continued to come as he refused to back away from Ikegawa, who was landing clean shots but lacked the pop needed to really make them count. The pressure impressed the judges, and after 8 rounds the scores, all in favour of Ishii, were 77-74, twice, and 78-73.
With the win Ishii likely sets up a 2025 rematch with Toshiki Shimomachi (19-1-3, 12) [下町俊貴], with the two men having fought to a thrilling draw earlier this year.
The judges weren’t needed in the chief support bout as we saw how good Japanese Featherweight champion Keisuke Matsumoto (12-0, 8) [松本 圭佑] really is, as do recorded his 4th defense and became the first to stop Kimihiro Nakagawa (10-7-2, 5) [中川公弘]. Matsumoto had promised to show us something different and go for a KO, and he managed to deliver.
Nakagawa looked to jump on the champion at the start, but Matsumoto remained calm, got behind his boxing, and saw out the first round. In round 2 the champion gave us some fireworks, dropping Nakagawa very early in the round with left to the body and a right up top. Nakagawa got up but was down again soon afterwards from a flurry, while a right hand later in the round would secure him a 3rd knockdown. Nakagawa’s heart couldn’t be questioned as he got up again, but the referee had seen enough and saved the challenger from further punishment.
The main event will saw world ranked Super Featherweight contender Masanori Rikiishi (16-1, 11) [佐藤政法] score something of a stay busy win over Filipino fighter Arnel Baconaje (17-9, 12). Rikiishi took his time in the first round, using his jab and movement well before unleashing a right hook late in the round that shook Baconaje. In round 2 Rikiishi came out with some intent, pressing forward, taking out Baconaje with a left uppercut-right hook combination that dropped Baconaje for the 10 count.