By Rick Reeno
MGM Grand, Las Vegas - More shocking than the performance of Erik Morales, was the shocking upset by Japan's Nobuhiro Ishida (23-6-2, 8KOs), who destroyed previously undefeated James Kirkland (27-1, 24KOs) in the first round of their bout on the Morales-Marcos Maidana pay-per-view undercard. After three knockdowns, the referee stopped the fight and Ishida pulled off the upset of the year.
Ishida told BoxingScene.com, before, and after the fight, that he suspected Kirkland's chin was possibly susceptible. Ishida has been preparing himself in the Las Vegas and California gyms by sparring with bigger boxers, like Peter Quillin.
"I saw the last fight [with Jhon Berrio] and I saw that he got hurt early. I've seen him get hurt in other fights and he covered up to recover. When I met him, I noticed that he had a small chin. His defense is not that good. I have a good defense and I've never been knocked out. I know nobody was expecting me to win because he was being made into a big name, but I knew I could win the fight," Ishida told BoxingScene.com.
