On the 28th, “Fujinokuni PROFESSIONAL BOXING 9” (organized by Suruga Otoko Gym) took place at Fujisan Messe in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the main event, a super featherweight bout, Japan’s No. 1-ranked fighter in the division, Rentaro Kimura (Suruga Otoko), defeated Kirei Yasumura (Senboku) by TKO at 2 minutes and 24 seconds of the fifth round.
安村を攻め落とした木村㊧
This match is part of the ongoing Phoenix Battle S Featherweight Prize Tournament and marks the quarterfinals. Originally, Kimura was scheduled to face Ryusuke Sunagawa (Okinawa WR), but due to Sunagawa’s withdrawal, he ended up facing reserve fighter Yasumura for a spot in the semifinals.
Right from the first round, southpaw Kimura landed a well-aimed left straight to score the first knockdown. With Yasumura returning to the ring for the first time in a year and a half, a quick finish was anticipated. However, Kimura did not press his advantage to finish the fight right away, and Yasumura hung in there, fighting in a rhythm that made it difficult for Kimura to control the pace.
Eventually, Kimura shifted to a strategy of steadily chipping away at his opponent. While his lefts were landing with high accuracy, he used body shots to both sides, countering short hooks, and uppercuts to corner Yasumura. Yasumura, while weathering Kimura’s attacks, gradually began to tire, and the number of times his gloves touched the canvas increased.
The first knockdown Kimura scored in the fifth round was a result of this; he pursued Yasumura as he got back to his feet, prompting Referee Kato to stop the fight. “Today, I focused too much on waiting to strike after the back-and-forth,” Kimura said in his post-fight reflection, but he was in high spirits after defeating a tough opponent by TKO in front of the home crowd. After the match, Kai Watanabe (Lions), his opponent in the tournament semifinals, climbed into the ring for a face-off. The two pledged to give their all. The other semifinal matchup will be Keisuke Matsumoto (Ohashi) versus Riku Kitani (KG Yamato).
トーナメント準決勝で対戦する渡邊㊨と対峙した木村
