Yabuki stops Shiba to become mandatory for Japanese title!
Earlier today in Kariya fans had the chance to see a Japanese Light Flyweight title eliminator between the hard hitting Masamichi Yabuki (10-3, 10) [佐藤政道] and talented youngster Rikito Shiba (4-1, 2) [芝力人].
On paper we had major questions for both men coming in. The biggest of those us was how Yabuki was going to look at Light Flyweight having essentially fought his career as a Flyweight? Today answered that in style, with the answer "good, powerful and very strong" as he secured himself a title fight in impressive fashion.
After a quiet first round Yabuki exploded in the second, with a hard right hand that dropped Shiba. Shiba would show his determination to get to his feet, but was dropped again later in the round as Yabuki's power proved a major factor. Shiba would again get to his feet but it always seemed like he was going to be living on thin ice, given how badly he had been hurt.
Shiba managed to get through round 3 without too many issues but was dropped twice in round 4, with the the referee deciding enough was enough, and waving off the bout.
We had expected the weight cut to take a toll on Yabuki but in reality he looked like he was fighting at his natural weight. For Shiba this will be a hard loss to come back from, but it's certainly not the end, and the talented 24 year old.
Yabuki will now be expecting to fight Japanese Light Flyweight champion Yuto Takahashi (11-4, 5) [高橋悠斗] during the 2020 Champion Carnival.
(Image courtesy of boxmob.jp)
On paper we had major questions for both men coming in. The biggest of those us was how Yabuki was going to look at Light Flyweight having essentially fought his career as a Flyweight? Today answered that in style, with the answer "good, powerful and very strong" as he secured himself a title fight in impressive fashion.
After a quiet first round Yabuki exploded in the second, with a hard right hand that dropped Shiba. Shiba would show his determination to get to his feet, but was dropped again later in the round as Yabuki's power proved a major factor. Shiba would again get to his feet but it always seemed like he was going to be living on thin ice, given how badly he had been hurt.
Shiba managed to get through round 3 without too many issues but was dropped twice in round 4, with the the referee deciding enough was enough, and waving off the bout.
We had expected the weight cut to take a toll on Yabuki but in reality he looked like he was fighting at his natural weight. For Shiba this will be a hard loss to come back from, but it's certainly not the end, and the talented 24 year old.
Yabuki will now be expecting to fight Japanese Light Flyweight champion Yuto Takahashi (11-4, 5) [高橋悠斗] during the 2020 Champion Carnival.
(Image courtesy of boxmob.jp)