By Alexey Sukachev

Japan - The Ring's #1 ranked super bantamweight and the WBC champion, Toshiaki Nishioka (37-4-3, 23 KOs), retained his championship at world-famous Kokugikan (Tokyo) in a spirited effort against WBC #1, IBF #6 and The Ring #7 rated Brit Rendall Munroe (21-2, 9 KOs). All three scorecards were identical 119-109 - for the Japanese master but it was not a walk in the park for him.

It could have been a stellar moment for the 30-year old European champion, who didn't lose a fight for four and a half years and gradually established himself as a top-ranked super bantamweight across Atlantics. Munroe felt it and started to press the fight only moments after the starting bell. He smartly pressured the visibly smaller opponent (although both fighters were listed as standing 5' 6 and 1/2'' and having almost identical reach span) with sparse but hard jabs and ocassional left hands. Nishioka, 34, was more active but his shots were mostly blocked by Munroe who was slightly better in an even first round.

Munroe continued his progress in the second winning a jab contest and adding several well-placed left hands to close this stanza big. Nishioka struggled to find both his rhythm and operational distance in that round. He did better in the third though with his gloves moving faster, his reflexes being sharper and his boxing becoming more refined. Munroe tried some big shots but the Japanese fighter easily avoided them by moving his body out and shifting his head from side to side while connecting with single hard blows to the body of the Brit at the same time.

Round four was probably the best one for Rendall Munroe. He went right after Nishioka for the first time in the fight and started head-hunting. Nishioka partially lost his focus and ate a handful of leather to his head. He was doing well with his body attacks on the other side, especially with his left hook. Munroe retained his poker face but those punches would have their impact later in the fight. But it was the Japanese champion who was breathing heavily after the fourth.

With his mouth open, Nishioka lost the first minute of round five and found himself in some trouble with hard single left hands by Munroe. Suddenly, it was when another turnaround broke through as the Japanese fighter instantly caught his foe with several hard left hands to trouble the Brit and pinned him to the ropes. Seconds after, it was Munroe who was fighting for his dear life against the blood-smelling champion. He did well though, relying on his sturdy chin and bigger frame. Munroe even launched some attacks of his own to even the last minute of the stanza. But the turnaround was here and it hadn't disappeared by chance.

Round six was almost even but there was more of a feeling that Nishioka was taking some time to rest than Munroe getting it back on track. The champion started inflicting more damage in the seventh as he concentrated on the Brit's body and landed some telling blows both to the left and to the right side of challenger's body. But the most astounding punch was placed at Munroe's solar plexus almost doubling him up in pain. Huge round for Nishioka!

The eighth stanza was once again close with Nishioka using feints and lateral movement to frustrate his opponent. However, he definitely felt some fatigue and induced several clinches for the first time in this fight. Munroe felt the moment and became more aggressive in the ninth although nothing serious for the champion there. The Japanese battler came back with a vengeance in the tenth hurting Munroe in closing seconds of the round with a monster left hook to the body.

In the eleventh Nishioka continued to dominate though Munroe did his best to answer in time. He wasn't too tight with his actions and was too stiff to cause the Japanese much problems but he did as much as he could. Still, the body punches were there to hurt him time and again - making the contest almost one-sided for the champion. Munroe was close to stop the pace with a colossal left hand at the very end of the round but Nishioka took it well.

Both fighters produced a fascinating non-stop action in the twelfth and final round. Nishioka didn't feel well for his fans and pressed action to stop his game opponent while Munroe realized a knockout was his only chance to win this fight. Munroe took the first minute but Nishioka came back with a zealous combination to put the Brit back on the defensive. Munroe intercepted this wild fury with several huge uppercuts but Nishioka pinned him to the ropes once again and launched another rotor-like combo to trouble the challenger. The bell found both boxers in the centre of the ring exchanging punches to crowd's delight.

Both boxers gave it their all in a classical performance which thrilled local supporters. Official scorecards didn't fully reflect how tough and how spirited this fight was. BoxingScene saw it 116-112 for the champion, who proved his status as the best super bantamweight in the world. Munroe's stock has probably risen as well but he needs to do some homework before coming back for more championship action. Referee was Jose Guadalupe Garcia. Judges were David Sutherland, James Jen-Kin (both USA) and Mexican Alejandro Roccin. Ring announcer was the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.