BoxRec

I've just joined and only got half an eye on...

Looks like matador vs bull here - who's ahead ?

Checked out for that one… next up I’m not sure who these guys are either. Looks like a 3-0 prospect against a trial horse ….prospect looks like a bull

Must be a local hero/big hope to be chief support at 3~0, Tanaka….and he’s facing Kobata

Fighting for the OPBF title in your fourth fight is a big deal.
He could challange for the WBC title after that.

EDIT: Damn. This fight not gonna go the distance.

Jesus Christ absolute fire fight. The veteran has a hell of a chin, hit by some hellacious left hooks as the young bull storms forward, fighting back and giving it back, a real test of fire here.

what’s keeping him up? Kobata He’s got a hell of a chin, but he’s trying his heart out, landing bombs on the young prospect, but Tanaka is like a threshing machine, a Japanese ray boom boom Mancini

For 3 rounds this is one of the fights of the year, incredible head-to-head bombs away

Both taking career shortening head shots here. This kid can’t be 3-0????

F*** me - The older guy face damaged, taking huge punches, suddenly stuns the young pretender, badly, but he comes back with bombs himself, and the ref jumps in ….early If you ask me, but my God, what a fighter this young kid is.

The Tyson of Yokohama they say - Jin Sasaka. It will be a short career, but they may as well move him into a title shot. Let’s see how good the champion is …Up Next ….should be another firefight

For fucks sake. What a fight.

Tanaka get's hit way too much though. Dude is less like Tyson and more like Ippo.
Hitting hard and getting hit hard.

Great fight. Early stoppage! Tanaka was just as wobbled earlier in the round.

This should be another war looking at the highlights of these two

Norman Jr walks in..

On the surface he looks calm, and ready to drop bombs, but I wonder if he's secretly nervous..?

Ooh ! Great stuff !

Bloody hell this is good.

Sasaki walks back to his corner smiling and with bouncy legs - the chin on him !

I knew Norman is the more polished boxer, but the difference is huge.
Let's go Jin!

Bombs away again, Japanese guy gets knocked over twice but comes back with some huge, punches himself steadies the champ to hold him off

Corner should stop it and ref should stop it.

Sasaki keeps fighting back but signs he's getting badly damaged and about to fold after almost every flurry.

Sasaki's heart is wearing out the salute emoji

I woulda stopped it and a lot of refs would too, but he keeps firing back trying to win and recovers his legs every minute.
Really good stuff.
40-34 but maybe, just maybe Sasaki can Homer Simpson him ? He recovers like a cartoon character !

skanksta wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 07:45 Sasaki's heart is wearing out the salute emoji

I woulda stopped it and a lot of refs would too, but he keeps firing back trying to win and recovers his legs every minute.
Really good stuff.
40-34 but maybe, just maybe Sasaki can Homer Simpson him ? He ecovers like a cartoon character !

Maybe not !!

Poor Sasaki - KTFO (of the year) and I woulda stopped it.
Yes the crazy barst*d kept trying to win, but fighters like that gotta be saved from themselves.
BRUTAL.

Holy Toledo

Brian Norman Is a formidable champion, ice cool assassin

His deadpan clinical demeanour reminds a bit of bud, Crawford

Yeah Jumping Jehoshaphat

Japanese guy was so tough he was taking a battering, but I thought he was exaggerating his distress a tad, to try and lure the American onto a desperation huge shot

This American is a classy champion

Like Haney, his dad took him to Mexico for his first 10 fights before he turned 18. That tells you, this is one tough hombre

Too bad. The skill gap was just too big.

That one annoying fool from Norman’s team really needs to stay away from the camera though.

Norman has come from nowhere to look superb right now.
Gets hit a lot and someone will get him soon enough, but he's hot right now and entertainning AF

Frightening KO by Norman, Sasaki was on a hiding to nothing, down seconds in from a rapid counter hook then down again before the round was out, left to the left temple which isn't a shot you see often, fair play to Sasaki though, he came back firing and never stopped duking it out , Norman stayed composed and sharp, took his time before icing Sasaki in the 5th with a stunning left hook, no idea why the ref even began a count , he must've heard his head hit the canvas