By: Shane Willoughby
Boxing has been on a rise and has been gaining a lot of global attraction however this week is proof that boxing is a sport loved worldwide.
Now whilst most eyes will be on the shows taking place in the UK and America; Matchroom is in Italy, King Khan is with the Arabs and is Arum is co-promoting a show in Japan on the 12th July.
Now whether he will be there or not is a different matter, but the event is definitely not worth missing, especially the main event.
The eagerly anticipated rematch between Rob Brant and Ryota Murata is finally here. If the first fight is anything to go by then expect fireworks.
For those who aren’t quite familiar with Murata, there are 2 things you need to know. Firstly, the kid can punch. Lastly, he doesn’t back down from a war.
From the start until the end he will be looking to land punishing punches. Whilst Brant does have better skills and is technically the better boxer, can he go 12 rounds without avoiding many exchanges.
Well, the obvious answer will be yes. As he was able to pick up the victory in the first fight. But not without receiving his fair share of damage. However, the circumstances are different.
Brant will be in front of Murata’s home crowd. How does he deal with the pressure, not just in the ring but outside?
Either way, it will be a great spectacle and for all those in attendance, they will see an extremely competitive fight that will most likely go the distance.
Most are expecting Brant to win as he is by far the better boxer but I do expect a lot of turbulence on the way.
One thing that Brant must be thinking is, how will the judges score the fight if it’s close? Will Murata get a favourable decision?
Another fight on the card is WBC light Flyweight champion Ken Shiro looking to make his 7th consecutive defence of his belt.
Shiro will also be in front of a home crowd and one thing for certain is, if this fight goes the distance, the announcers will be saying, ‘and still’.
There is no way Shiro will lose on points. Not saying his opponent Taconing isn’t a game fighter, neither am I implying the judges will have a bias.
But to outwork Shiro other 12 rounds is a near-impossible task. Shiro is a work-horse, who doesn’t stop throwing until he hears the final bell.
For anyone watching on T.V, count how many punches he throws each round. He has a tremendous engine.
But you never know, Taconing could land a good shot and put Shiro to sleep, but if not his chances of victory are very slim.