Epic Battle for ISKA Bantamweight title
Bad Company promotions in association with Showsport International staged a World Championship card at the prestigious Leeds Town Hall on the 18th October. European and Intercontinental Champion Andy Howson form the Bad Company Gym in Leeds faced Japanese Champion Kunitaka Fujiwa form Osaka Japan to contest the vacant ISKA World Bantamweight title under Muaythai rules.
Judging by the pace of the first round, these two experienced fighters had never heard of the first round feeling out, it was ferocious from the start and both lads landed heavy low kicks and left body hooks. Interesting technical point, the Japanese lad stepped in closer to land his body hooks, turning the fist up as well as in, a better technical boxing punch, but it left him open to right hand and elbow counters which Andy later capitalised on. The second carried on where the 1st left off with both lads trading shots, Andy was looking the stronger and the Japanese lad was starting to tire. The third round started off flowing backwards and forwards with both lads being spun around from punches, Andy edged ahead as he kicked the Kunitaka off his feet twice.
Into the fourth and no sign of the pace slowing, Andy was scoring very well with left body kicks when from nowhere he was caught with an elbow which put him on the floor. He bounced straight back up so no count, Kunitaka advanced but Andy had recovered well and the two went to war, Andy coming out of that exchange the stronger. Despite the flash “knockdown“ Andy won this round as he was a long way ahead in the round before the knock down, there was no count and he still landed more scoring shots after the “knockdown.”
Into the fifth and final round and Andy went to war, he opened up with everything, turning the Japanese lad in the clinch and both kneeing and elbowing him, he even landed some good knees to the head. With less than a minute to go Andy was well ahead, but despite his corner urging him to grab and knee, something which his opponent had no answer to, Andy decided to carry on trading hand and elbow shots. This could have been a disaster as he was cut with about 10 seconds to go and whilst it was right in the middle of his forehead, it was too high, to small and too late to have any impact on the verdict. The decision was announced and by unanimous decision the new ISKA World Super Bantamweight champion was Andy Howson from Leeds. This was one of the best fights I have seen in England, a great technical war, which displayed the best and worst of Andy Howson, the great, clever fighter and the lad who just doesn’t quite know when it’s not that good an idea to mix it
WMC World Champion Liam Harrison faced Japan’s Masaru Ito in a non-title Superfight.
Masaru started the first round fast, on his toes dancing around and trying to catch Liam with fast hand and low kick combinations. He actually caught Liam with an uppercut elbow in the first round which opened the smallest of nicks on Liam right eye. Liam was totally unfazed by anything Masaru could throw at him. In the second Liam picked things up, catching Masaru’s leg and kicking him to the floor, right at the end of the second round Liam landed a right elbow which opened up a long cut behind Masura’s left ear. The 3rd, 4th and 4th rounds were a master class from Liam. He hit Masura with everything, left hooks and right hands to body and face, right low kicks, which looked strong enough to break a horses leg, left body kicks, high kicks with both legs. Another elbow opened up another cut on Masura. The most impressive thing from Liam though was his clinch and knee; his off balancing techniques were sublime and some long knees so strong. Masura was tough as old boots though, he was hit with one knee that seemed to propel him half way across the ring, he was bent double when he hit the corner post, but then just stood straight back up. In the last round it looked as though Liam was thinking about trying the cartwheel kick he had promised everyone, but decided against it. At the final bell Liam was a landslide winner.
Much is made of Liam Harrison and in my view quite rightly so. In the last couple of years Liam has matured as a fighter, adding so much to his game. A naturally tremendously strong lad, I actually think his best attribute is his timing. All great sports people, not matter what their sport, seem to have lots of time to do what they want to do. If you watch Wayne Rooney play football, he seems sometimes to have so much time to make his mind up what he is going to do. Liam has this ability as a Thai Boxer. He read everything the Japanese lad was trying and dealt with it accordingly. Some of the shots he pulled of he shouldn’t have been able to, but has that ability to do things ordinary people cannot do!
All in all, another great show at the Leeds Town Hall. The performances across the board show that in some places UK Muay Thai is defiantly going in the right direction!
23 October 2008
Also in the news
- 14 May 2012
Women’s World Championship Kickboxing
The Women’s ISKA Atom-weight World Kickboxing title under Full Contact rules was contested in Dijon, France by Maria Krivoshapkina (Russia) and Melanie Bony (France).Maria has a 10-2-0 pro record and 120-30-0 amateur record. She is WAKO amator European and world champion in freestyle kickboxing. Melanie has a 24-6-0 pro record, she is French and European champion in Savate. Read more
- 10 May 2012
LAST MAN STANDING
This year’s LAST MAN STANDING 3K KO TOURNAMENT & SUPER FIGHTS under Full Thai Rules will be contested at 67KG max from Birmingham’s biggest new venue The Bingley Hall in Hockley Birmingham. The show is one of the biggest this year including the biggest 8 Man tournament to take place in the UK to date! Read more
- 8 May 2012
KRUSH 18 Takiya KO’s Crooke
KRUSH 18 staged at Korakeun Hall, Tokyo on the 3rd May by Good Loser Productions, featured an international prestige match between England’s Reece Crooke and Japanese rising star Shota Takiya. Crooke on the comeback trail was trying to fight his way into the World’s top ten, Takiya was not going to give up his spot. Read more
- More ISKA news
