Nobuhiro Ishida vs James Kirkland II - Who Wins?

[F!x]

This fight is likely to happen in 2014. Ishida stated that he was going to retire after the Golovkin fight but instead he fought 5 months later against a virtual novice and claimed the 10th KO of his 36-fight career, just a few months ago in August 2013.

Ishida shockingly stopped Kirkland in the very first round back in 2011. It remains Kirkland's only defeat in 33 fights. There were certain circumstances surrounding the fight which may have contributed to the loss, or at least to the early 1st round KO. After 2 years out, Kirkland had recently returned to the ring and Ishida was his 3rd straight fight within around one month since his comeback. He had fallen out with his trainer Ann Wolfe and, maybe as a consequence, he didn't appear to be in good condition for the fight.

In his 5 fights since the Kirkland win Ishida has fought some top tier opposition - Paul Williams, Dmitry Pirog and Gennady Golovkin, but he has unfortunately been defeated by all 3 fighters. His 2 wins in those 5 fights came from 2 novice fighters.

This is a natural match up to make for both fighters, for Kirkland to avenge his only loss, and for Ishida to get himself back in another big televised fight when other options are now appearing limited.

So... Who wins?

[KermitTheKiller]

, tough fight to call50/50 fight

ishida hadn't ever been stopped then he got brutally ko by Ggg may not have the same mental strength/ punch resistance.

Kirkland shelf life isn't very long. horrible defense bad foot work he might be target practice for ishida.

[MBE]

I hope ishida wants to keep this feeling

[F!x]

, tough fight to call50/50 fight

ishida hadn't ever been stopped then he got brutally ko by Ggg may not have the same mental strength/ punch resistance.

Kirkland shelf life isn't very long. horrible defense bad foot work he might be target practice for ishida.

Nice breakdown, it is a tough one to call. Kirkland's conditioning has improved but his technique doesn't seem any better and, to me at least, he seems a little slower than before. If Ishida can't knock him out this time he might be able to outbox him for 12 rounds although there is the problem of Kirkland's pressure to deal with.

I remember hearing an interview with Ishida's trainer after the first fight and he said that the game plan was always to go for the KO against Kirkland, to stop him early before he had a chance to get into the fight.

[dirty fingers]

Ishida knocks him out again.

[bigcursedawg]

Ishida sends that bum back to skid row

[boliodogs]

I voted Ishida KOs him again. He did it so easily the first time that he just seems to have Kirkland figured out and has his number.

[SUCIO416]

lol you guys are funny... fluke win without ann wolfe in the camp or the corner


also, buddy was getting up and blow cortez tackled him


after he bombed out tapia, and after ggg bombed out ishida, kirkland gets the KO guaranteed

[Godsfly]

not confident in ishida at all........if Kirkland gets past the 1st round he sodomizes ishida.

[F!x]

I voted Ishida KOs him again. He did it so easily the first time that he just seems to have Kirkland figured out and has his number.

I know what you mean, he blitzed Kirkland. But, Ishida's KO record suggests that maybe there was something genuinely not right with Kirkland to get stopped by a guy with apparently below-average power. Especially the way Kirkland took Angulo's and Tapias shots. I heard he had to lose over 20 lbs on the week of the Ishida fight or something, whether it's truth or rumor I don't know for sure, but weight-draining is well known to cause these sort of punch resistance issues.