February 23, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-Fast-rising KO artist Keita Manabe (17-1, 15 KOs), Japanese #3 ranked 130-pounder, 135, badly hit the deck in the second, was obviously losing on points, but floored Takashi Ijichi (5-5-1, 3 KOs), back in the eighth and barely eked out a split verdict (96-95, 95-94 and 93-95) with his desperate last surge over ten grueling rounds on Monday night in Tokyo, Japan.
Itfs Fight of the Month without doubt. Manabe, with a string of his latest six KO wins in a row, was a prohibitive preflight favorite, while Ijichi, formerly national high school champ winning three amateur belts, was a really tough kid despite his recent stagnation of career. Surprisingly the taller underdog made a good start with stinging lefts in the opening canto, and sent Manabe face first to the canvas with a well-timed left-right combination in the second, when Ijichi sustained a cut over the right eyebrow.
Despite his shaky legs Manabe, in round three, fought all out on even terms by positively throwing plenty of solid but less accurate shots, while Ijichi covered himself up well and connected a few left-right combinations. Ijichi, two years his senior at 26, concentrated on jabbing and throwing one-two combos to the rough and roundhouse prospect, dominating the fourth and seventh rounds. The preflight favorite Manabefs face was covered with crimson from the nostrils and over the left eyebrows because of his rivalfs legal punches. Hot adherents kept screaming for each boxer they supported all the way, and the extravaganza drove the crowd of the Hall into frenzy.
The tide, however, astoundingly turned in the eighth. Aware of trailing on points, Manabe desperately threw wild combinations to the fading opponent, whose fatigue stopped his footwork momentarily. Manabefs wicked body shot doubled him up and finally sank him on all fours. Ijichi barely raised himself up only to beat the referee Fukuchifs count to be saved by the bell. Manabe, in the ninth and tenth, went all out for a kill, but Ijichi demonstrated his guts and determination to withstand his last surge and occasionally retaliated with still effective right crosses.
As the extravaganza was over, this reporterfs tally was 95-94 for Ijichi by evaluating his early accumulation on points. But the official verdict favored the up-and-coming KO artist by a split verdict. The bright prospect Manabe, who had dispatched Thai national champ Muangfahlek Kiatwichien within the distance last year, had been averted by higher ranked compatriots due to his hard-hitting ability, but revealed every flaw on his defensive skills in this fight. His overconfidence paid off with such a bitter experience with the determined club-fighter Ijichi. Itfs a pity that such a tremendously furious competition was witnessed by the sparse crowd.
(2-23-04)