Nishida retains IBF title with gut busting KO blow
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In Osaka, today we had a stacked card with a staggering 5 title bouts on it, ranging from Youth Domestic titles to World titles, and a Japanese title eliminator.
The show opened with former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (25-7, 21) scoring a 3rd round TKO over Hiro Ichimichi (8-3-1, 6) [一道宏] This ended with Santisima unloading with Ivhimichi in the corner. Santisima landed a nasty combination, of right hands that forced the referee to stop in, and save the 39 year old Ichimichi with just seconds of the round remaining.
The first of the 5 title bouts saw Shunpei Kaneshiro (4-0, 2) [金城隼平] show his class as he recorded his first defense of the Japanese Youth Bantamweight title, with a wide decision win over Hyuga Gushiken (4-1, 3) [又吉日向]. Early on the two men looked to get control of the range and tempo, though it wasn't long until Kaneshiro's jab began to play a major factor in the action, with him to used the jb to set up other shots. In round 2 the jab of Kaneshiro again proved vital, as he started landing hard left hands behind it. The jab neutralised Gushiken well in round 3, whilst Gushiken had moments in rounds 4 and 5 they were fleeting with Kaneshiro resetting with his good footwork, neutralising the work or Gushiken. Kaneshiro continued to dictate the tempo of the bouts in rounds 6, landing more of his frustrating jab that had kept Gushiken at bay. In the 7th Gushiken did have some success, landing some a good 1-2, but was forced to take one in return as Kaneshiro basically made it clear that there was nothing Gushiken could do to turn this around. Although that was clear Gushiken went out hard in round 8, but still couldn't get his distance as Kaneshiro simply controlled the bout, en route to a 8-72, twice, and 79-73 decision to retain his title.
In a Japanese title eliminator at Japanese Super Featherweight, we saw former champion Yuna Hara (14-3-2, 8) [原優奈] fight to an 8 round draw with the fast rising Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0-1, 2) [砂川隆祐], in what was a huge step up for Sunagawa. The bout had a sense of tension from the early moments as both looked to control the tempo. Sunagawa landed the first really notable strikes, and seemed to be going to the body well, but Hara looked dangerous and relied on his experience, settling into the bout. In round 3 Sunagawa suffered a cut from a clash of heads, which seemed to act as a confidence booster for Hara, who had a solid round 4, landing his own body shots. Sensing he was behind Sunagawa began to pick up his pressure, putting his foot on the gas in rounds 6 and 7 before the two men engaged in a thrilling back and forth in the final round. The good back and the competitive round by round basis of the fight left the scorecards a bit all over the place, with Hara winning on one card, 77-75, Sunagawa on the other, 78-74, and a third judge having the bout even, at 76-76. As a result of the special tie break rules, Hara will secure himself a shot at the Japanese title next year, as part of the Champion Carnival, whilst Sunagawa will remain unbeaten with the draw.
In the second title bout on the show fans saw Filipino fighter Kenneth Llover (13-0, 8) make a quick impact, as he stopped Tulio Dekanarudo (8-3-2, 4) [桑畑凜生] in just 58 seconds. Llover started fast, landing 2 eye catching his left hands, the local fought back, with a left hook hook, but ate a right himself, sending him down. Dekanarudo would get to his feet but was unsteady on them as the referee waved the bout off, giving Llover the opening round TKO and the OPBF “interim” Bantamweight title.
The third title bout on the card was also short, as Riku Kunimoto (13-1, 7) [国本陸] retained his WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight title, and got a sense of revenge for his only loss, as he stopped Kazuto Takesako (17-3-1, 15) [竹迫司登], also in the opening round. Back in 2021 Takesako had stopped Kunimoto, and ever since that bout Kunimoto had sought some revenge. The bout was short lived, with Kunimoto dropping Takesako early in the round following an exchange, and despite Takesako showing some real heart to get up he was a wounded fighter as Kunimoto got back on top of him and dropped him for a second time, with a right hand, forcing the bout to be stopped. After the bout it was clear what it meant to Kunimoto, who let out a huge roar, likely releasing several years of pent up emotion for the 2021 loss.
In the main support bout OPBF Light Flyweight champion Thanongsak Simsri (37-1, 33) secured himself an IBF world title fight, as he took a hard fought decision over former world champion Masataka Taniguchi (19-5, 13) [谷口将隆]. The fight was tense early on with both showing some really polished skills. Taniguchi managed to have early success, landing well to the body, before Simsri adapted to the situation, using his speed and movement well in round 3 and coming out more aggressively in round 4, as he looked to get Taniguchi's respect. Simri also took the initiative in round 6, where he looked crisper, and sharper, making the most of his youth, energy and speed. Taniguchi looked to adapt to a good round 6 for Simsri, and in round 8 Taniguchi had some real success with some body shots, and he seemed to look the more dangerous in round 10. Simsri, likely feeling like he was either narrowly behind, or that it was too close for comfort either way, put his foot on the gas in round 11, leaving Taniguchi with a cut nose. Taniguchi would himself respond, again, in round 12, forcing Simsri to fight off the aggression,
After some excellent back and forth, at a high, competitive level, featuring momentum shifts, this was always going to be a hard one for the judges. In the end however scores of 118-112 and 115-113 for Simsri beat out a 115-113 card to Taniguchi, to give his second major win of the year, following April’s victory over Miel Fajardo, and his fifth win overall for 2024. The win is expected to land him a shot at IBF world champion Masamichi Yabuki (17-4, 16) [佐藤正道], who actually gave Simsri his one and only defeat back in September 2022.
In the main event IBF Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 2) [西田凌佑] made his first defense, as he stopped Thai challenger Anuchai Donsua (16-1, 7), in the 7th round. Nishida looked to control the distance from the off, using his reach well, though Donsua showed some hunger in round 2, with some counter left hooks, showing Nishida that he wasn't just there to make up the numbers, though Nishida's accurate jab was causing Donsua issues. Having seen what Donsua brought to the ring Nishida began to settle into the things, going to the body well in round 3 with some long left hands, trying to take the steam out of the Thai's challenge. Donsua showed that he was still there with some good shots in round 4, but it seemed very much like Donsua was doing his best, whilst Nishida was calm, relaxed, and still not really putting his foot on the gas. In round 5 we saw the gulf in class show, as a right hook from Nishida dropped Downsua, who tried to respond but struggled to land after the restart. The body work and uppercuts were on show in round 6 from Nishida, despite Donsua showing some ambition and were a forebearer of how the bout would end a round later as Nishida looked to keep some space between the two men. Donsua, who really had limited options at range, press forward, but after a right hand from Donsua missed Nishida landed a brutal uppercut to the body. Donsua got to his feet but the bout was stopped with Donsua in no state to continue following a truly brilliant body shot.
With the KO Nishida scores his first early win since scoring one on his debut, back in 2019, and his first in Japan. He also moved one step closer to a unification bout with one of the other 3 Japanese world champions at the weight. As for Donsua, he was game but well out of his depth here, and it showed.
The show opened with former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (25-7, 21) scoring a 3rd round TKO over Hiro Ichimichi (8-3-1, 6) [一道宏] This ended with Santisima unloading with Ivhimichi in the corner. Santisima landed a nasty combination, of right hands that forced the referee to stop in, and save the 39 year old Ichimichi with just seconds of the round remaining.
The first of the 5 title bouts saw Shunpei Kaneshiro (4-0, 2) [金城隼平] show his class as he recorded his first defense of the Japanese Youth Bantamweight title, with a wide decision win over Hyuga Gushiken (4-1, 3) [又吉日向]. Early on the two men looked to get control of the range and tempo, though it wasn't long until Kaneshiro's jab began to play a major factor in the action, with him to used the jb to set up other shots. In round 2 the jab of Kaneshiro again proved vital, as he started landing hard left hands behind it. The jab neutralised Gushiken well in round 3, whilst Gushiken had moments in rounds 4 and 5 they were fleeting with Kaneshiro resetting with his good footwork, neutralising the work or Gushiken. Kaneshiro continued to dictate the tempo of the bouts in rounds 6, landing more of his frustrating jab that had kept Gushiken at bay. In the 7th Gushiken did have some success, landing some a good 1-2, but was forced to take one in return as Kaneshiro basically made it clear that there was nothing Gushiken could do to turn this around. Although that was clear Gushiken went out hard in round 8, but still couldn't get his distance as Kaneshiro simply controlled the bout, en route to a 8-72, twice, and 79-73 decision to retain his title.
In a Japanese title eliminator at Japanese Super Featherweight, we saw former champion Yuna Hara (14-3-2, 8) [原優奈] fight to an 8 round draw with the fast rising Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0-1, 2) [砂川隆祐], in what was a huge step up for Sunagawa. The bout had a sense of tension from the early moments as both looked to control the tempo. Sunagawa landed the first really notable strikes, and seemed to be going to the body well, but Hara looked dangerous and relied on his experience, settling into the bout. In round 3 Sunagawa suffered a cut from a clash of heads, which seemed to act as a confidence booster for Hara, who had a solid round 4, landing his own body shots. Sensing he was behind Sunagawa began to pick up his pressure, putting his foot on the gas in rounds 6 and 7 before the two men engaged in a thrilling back and forth in the final round. The good back and the competitive round by round basis of the fight left the scorecards a bit all over the place, with Hara winning on one card, 77-75, Sunagawa on the other, 78-74, and a third judge having the bout even, at 76-76. As a result of the special tie break rules, Hara will secure himself a shot at the Japanese title next year, as part of the Champion Carnival, whilst Sunagawa will remain unbeaten with the draw.
In the second title bout on the show fans saw Filipino fighter Kenneth Llover (13-0, 8) make a quick impact, as he stopped Tulio Dekanarudo (8-3-2, 4) [桑畑凜生] in just 58 seconds. Llover started fast, landing 2 eye catching his left hands, the local fought back, with a left hook hook, but ate a right himself, sending him down. Dekanarudo would get to his feet but was unsteady on them as the referee waved the bout off, giving Llover the opening round TKO and the OPBF “interim” Bantamweight title.
The third title bout on the card was also short, as Riku Kunimoto (13-1, 7) [国本陸] retained his WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight title, and got a sense of revenge for his only loss, as he stopped Kazuto Takesako (17-3-1, 15) [竹迫司登], also in the opening round. Back in 2021 Takesako had stopped Kunimoto, and ever since that bout Kunimoto had sought some revenge. The bout was short lived, with Kunimoto dropping Takesako early in the round following an exchange, and despite Takesako showing some real heart to get up he was a wounded fighter as Kunimoto got back on top of him and dropped him for a second time, with a right hand, forcing the bout to be stopped. After the bout it was clear what it meant to Kunimoto, who let out a huge roar, likely releasing several years of pent up emotion for the 2021 loss.
In the main support bout OPBF Light Flyweight champion Thanongsak Simsri (37-1, 33) secured himself an IBF world title fight, as he took a hard fought decision over former world champion Masataka Taniguchi (19-5, 13) [谷口将隆]. The fight was tense early on with both showing some really polished skills. Taniguchi managed to have early success, landing well to the body, before Simsri adapted to the situation, using his speed and movement well in round 3 and coming out more aggressively in round 4, as he looked to get Taniguchi's respect. Simri also took the initiative in round 6, where he looked crisper, and sharper, making the most of his youth, energy and speed. Taniguchi looked to adapt to a good round 6 for Simsri, and in round 8 Taniguchi had some real success with some body shots, and he seemed to look the more dangerous in round 10. Simsri, likely feeling like he was either narrowly behind, or that it was too close for comfort either way, put his foot on the gas in round 11, leaving Taniguchi with a cut nose. Taniguchi would himself respond, again, in round 12, forcing Simsri to fight off the aggression,
After some excellent back and forth, at a high, competitive level, featuring momentum shifts, this was always going to be a hard one for the judges. In the end however scores of 118-112 and 115-113 for Simsri beat out a 115-113 card to Taniguchi, to give his second major win of the year, following April’s victory over Miel Fajardo, and his fifth win overall for 2024. The win is expected to land him a shot at IBF world champion Masamichi Yabuki (17-4, 16) [佐藤正道], who actually gave Simsri his one and only defeat back in September 2022.
In the main event IBF Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 2) [西田凌佑] made his first defense, as he stopped Thai challenger Anuchai Donsua (16-1, 7), in the 7th round. Nishida looked to control the distance from the off, using his reach well, though Donsua showed some hunger in round 2, with some counter left hooks, showing Nishida that he wasn't just there to make up the numbers, though Nishida's accurate jab was causing Donsua issues. Having seen what Donsua brought to the ring Nishida began to settle into the things, going to the body well in round 3 with some long left hands, trying to take the steam out of the Thai's challenge. Donsua showed that he was still there with some good shots in round 4, but it seemed very much like Donsua was doing his best, whilst Nishida was calm, relaxed, and still not really putting his foot on the gas. In round 5 we saw the gulf in class show, as a right hook from Nishida dropped Downsua, who tried to respond but struggled to land after the restart. The body work and uppercuts were on show in round 6 from Nishida, despite Donsua showing some ambition and were a forebearer of how the bout would end a round later as Nishida looked to keep some space between the two men. Donsua, who really had limited options at range, press forward, but after a right hand from Donsua missed Nishida landed a brutal uppercut to the body. Donsua got to his feet but the bout was stopped with Donsua in no state to continue following a truly brilliant body shot.
With the KO Nishida scores his first early win since scoring one on his debut, back in 2019, and his first in Japan. He also moved one step closer to a unification bout with one of the other 3 Japanese world champions at the weight. As for Donsua, he was game but well out of his depth here, and it showed.