Shiba returns with a win, Kobayashi secures victory on debut and more!
Earlier today at the Archiac Hall in Amagasaki, fight fans got the latest show from Shinsei Promotions. It was a mall one, with only 4 bouts, but one that was made available globally, for free, through the excellent Boxing Real YouTube channel.
The show kicked off with the professional debut of Goki Kobayashi (1-0, 1) [小林 豪己] who took on Hyogo Kimura (6-3-1, 1) [木村 彪吾] in a scheduled 6 rounder. On paper this looked a really tough debut for Kobayashi, who had around 35 bouts as an amateur and it lived up to those expctations, with Kimura fighting to win. Despite a very genuine effort from Kimura he was out boxed and broken down as the more talented Kobayashi hammered his body and left him looking out on his feet through much of round 6. With only around 10 seconds of the bout left the referee waved off the contest, stopping Kimura from taking any more damage in the final moments. He had given a fair account of himself, but lacked the stamina and stopping power to ask real questions of Kobayashi, who lookslike he could be one to keep an eye on over the next few years.
The second bout saw the under-rated Wataru Ikegami (9-5-1, 5) [池上 渉] score his th win in 5 bouts as he over-came the much taller Hibiki Jogo (10-4, 5) [城後 響] in an 8 rounder. On paper this is probbaly not one that screams out as being a good fight, but the styles ended up gellign pretty well to give us a nice little back and forth contest. Early on Jogo was on his toes, moving around the ring and trying to use his height and range whilst Ikegami pressured. As the bout went on Ikegami's workrate increased whilst Jogo landed some very good counter shots. Despite the two men being very different this was a genuinely enjoyable bout between two men each there to win, and two men didn't feel the need to hold instead of fighting. The limitations of both are there to see, but they made for a good, TV friendly, contest with Ikegami doing enough to earn the decision.
The scores here were 77-75, twice, and 78-74, all to Ikegami.
The chief support bout was a contest between Yuga Inoue (11-2-1, 2) [井上 夕雅] and Condor Inaba (7-6-1, 3) [コンドル稲葉]. The naturally bigger Inaba started the bout on the front foot and looked the more aggressive through the opening round as he made his size and strength pay. Sadly however for Inaba he was rocked late in the opening round and it wax clear that, although not a puncher, Inoue had enough in his shots to hurt his man. In round 2 the warning bells from the end of the opening round showed themselves again with Inoue bloodying the nose of Inaba, swelling his eye, forcing him backwards and forcing a doctor inspection of his swollen left eye. With Inaba fighting with just one eye Inoue went for the kill and forced the referee to stop the bout.
The main event saw former Japanese Youth Light Flyweight champion Rikito Shiba (5-1, 3) [芝力人] secure himself a stoppage win over veteran Hideyuki Watanabe (8-14-3, 6) [渡邉秀行]. Despite looking like a mismatch on paper Watanabe got off to a good start, making the most of his southpaw stance, his experience and his ring craft. Though much of the opening round Watanabe was landing the better shots and forcing Shiba to back up. What seemed a good start for Watanabe continued through much of the bout, as Shiba seeemed to be showing signs of ring rust and questionable confidence, following a blow out loss to Masamichi Yabuki last time he fought.
As the rounds went on Shiba looked less and less comfortable and like a man who could be on the end of a major upset loss. That was until round 7 when he pulled out something special. He was under pressure again in the 7th round with Watanabe continuing to have more success than anyone had anticipated, and even walking through a huge hook from Shiba. Another left hook, later in the round, was enough to drop Watanabe, hard. The veteran beat the count, but the referee waved off the bout vewing Watanabe as unfit to continue. A questionable decision from the referee.
Despite the somewhat fortunate call from the ref, this was a huge turn around. It showed that Shiba has fight changing power, but left us with a lot of questions about what exactly he has to offer the sport going forward.
The show kicked off with the professional debut of Goki Kobayashi (1-0, 1) [小林 豪己] who took on Hyogo Kimura (6-3-1, 1) [木村 彪吾] in a scheduled 6 rounder. On paper this looked a really tough debut for Kobayashi, who had around 35 bouts as an amateur and it lived up to those expctations, with Kimura fighting to win. Despite a very genuine effort from Kimura he was out boxed and broken down as the more talented Kobayashi hammered his body and left him looking out on his feet through much of round 6. With only around 10 seconds of the bout left the referee waved off the contest, stopping Kimura from taking any more damage in the final moments. He had given a fair account of himself, but lacked the stamina and stopping power to ask real questions of Kobayashi, who lookslike he could be one to keep an eye on over the next few years.
The second bout saw the under-rated Wataru Ikegami (9-5-1, 5) [池上 渉] score his th win in 5 bouts as he over-came the much taller Hibiki Jogo (10-4, 5) [城後 響] in an 8 rounder. On paper this is probbaly not one that screams out as being a good fight, but the styles ended up gellign pretty well to give us a nice little back and forth contest. Early on Jogo was on his toes, moving around the ring and trying to use his height and range whilst Ikegami pressured. As the bout went on Ikegami's workrate increased whilst Jogo landed some very good counter shots. Despite the two men being very different this was a genuinely enjoyable bout between two men each there to win, and two men didn't feel the need to hold instead of fighting. The limitations of both are there to see, but they made for a good, TV friendly, contest with Ikegami doing enough to earn the decision.
The scores here were 77-75, twice, and 78-74, all to Ikegami.
The chief support bout was a contest between Yuga Inoue (11-2-1, 2) [井上 夕雅] and Condor Inaba (7-6-1, 3) [コンドル稲葉]. The naturally bigger Inaba started the bout on the front foot and looked the more aggressive through the opening round as he made his size and strength pay. Sadly however for Inaba he was rocked late in the opening round and it wax clear that, although not a puncher, Inoue had enough in his shots to hurt his man. In round 2 the warning bells from the end of the opening round showed themselves again with Inoue bloodying the nose of Inaba, swelling his eye, forcing him backwards and forcing a doctor inspection of his swollen left eye. With Inaba fighting with just one eye Inoue went for the kill and forced the referee to stop the bout.
The main event saw former Japanese Youth Light Flyweight champion Rikito Shiba (5-1, 3) [芝力人] secure himself a stoppage win over veteran Hideyuki Watanabe (8-14-3, 6) [渡邉秀行]. Despite looking like a mismatch on paper Watanabe got off to a good start, making the most of his southpaw stance, his experience and his ring craft. Though much of the opening round Watanabe was landing the better shots and forcing Shiba to back up. What seemed a good start for Watanabe continued through much of the bout, as Shiba seeemed to be showing signs of ring rust and questionable confidence, following a blow out loss to Masamichi Yabuki last time he fought.
As the rounds went on Shiba looked less and less comfortable and like a man who could be on the end of a major upset loss. That was until round 7 when he pulled out something special. He was under pressure again in the 7th round with Watanabe continuing to have more success than anyone had anticipated, and even walking through a huge hook from Shiba. Another left hook, later in the round, was enough to drop Watanabe, hard. The veteran beat the count, but the referee waved off the bout vewing Watanabe as unfit to continue. A questionable decision from the referee.
Despite the somewhat fortunate call from the ref, this was a huge turn around. It showed that Shiba has fight changing power, but left us with a lot of questions about what exactly he has to offer the sport going forward.