Toshiaki Nishioka-Rendall Munroe: Pre-Fight Report Card
By Cliff Rold
It’s the biggest boxing match of the week and, while on a global scale it’s still not likely to move the meters, the combatants should move each other. This is evenly matched, real top ten action at a weight currently under the radar.
Jr. Featherweight should never be under the radar.
In the last decade, Jr. Featherweight produced four Fights of the Year and a number of strong runners-up. Sunday’s bout features a titlist who found his stride late and a challenger with a day job. Both teeter on the brink between relevance in the moment and the chance to be more.
Let’s go the report card.
The Ledgers
Toshiaki Nishioka
Age: 34
Title: WBC Jr. Featherweight (2008-Present, 4 Defenses)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’6 ½
Weight: 120 ½ lbs.
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 121.8 lbs.
Hails from: Tokyo, Japan
Record: 36-4-3, 23 KO
Record in Title Fights: 4-2-2, 4 KO (5-2-2, 4 KO including interim title fights)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated: 2 (Jhonny Gonzalez, Ivan Hernandez)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced in Defeat/Draw: 1 (Veraphol Sahaprom)
Vs.
Rendall Munroe
Age: 30
Titles: None (1st Title Shot)
Height: 5’7
Weight: 119 ¾ lbs.
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 121.55 lbs.
Hails from: Leicester, East Midlands, United Kingdom
Record: 21-1, 9 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated or Faced in Defeat: 0
Pre-Fight Grades
Speed – Nishioka B+; Munroe B
Power – Nishioka B; Munroe C
Defense – Nishioka B; Munroe B
Intangibles – Nishioka B+; Munroe B+
The clash of talents here will be intriguing from the start because the more fluid fighter is not the faster one. Munroe comports himself well, able to roll his shots off and integrate his offense and defense well, and he throws at a solid volume. Where Munroe lacks is in comparison to the explosiveness Nishioka offers. In this battle of southpaws, Munroe will be looking to land and chip away at the titlist.
Nishioka will be looking to use Munroe’s activity against him, waiting for openings and then slashing across the bow with a sharp left hand. Nishioka’s jab can be effective to set the blow up but he doesn’t always commit to the lead hand that way. Sometimes he paws with it to gauge distance, others he pops it hard. He keeps his opponent off balance while always staying in position to counter.
Nishioka also has the sort of subtle head movement it can be easy to miss when watching. He doesn’t give opponents a ton to throw at, but what is aimed at often sails into space. Munroe looks like he’s getting tagged more than he does and works well behind longer arms and a more orthodox approach to the jab. Munroe also possesses a mild height advantage. If he can time Nishioka, and anticipate the counters of the beltholder, he could build himself a points lead.
To the credit of both men, perseverance is an asset. Nishioka was disappointed in four title tries at Sahaprom, getting no closer than a draw. He stuck around. He found his time (and he’s only been stopped once, in his 2nd pro fight in 1995).
Munroe has not been a pro as long (only since 2003) but he’s never been stopped and he’s shown the ability to rise to occasions. Kiko Martinez, Victor Terrazas, and former title challenger Simone Maludrottu were all more experienced. They were all defeated when they left the ring. There has been a little written about Munroe as a working man’s challenger, the guy who still holds his day job and isn’t planning to change that. That blue-collar ethic shows in the ring and Nishioka will have his hands full because of it.
The Pick
On a neutral turf, Munroe might be even more live than he already is. If he’s going to get a fair shake on the road, he’s in the right place for it. While Japan, like everywhere on Earth that has hosted its fair share of fights, has had some debatable calls, they don’t feel as frequent. However, Munroe getting fair treatment doesn’t eliminate what else comes with the home field advantage.
Nishioka has fought outside Japan only once (and won in Mexico). Munroe has left the U.K. to go to Ireland, which really isn’t travelling. This will be. Time adjustments, the unique Japanese crowd, and a highly skilled veteran opponent should be too much for the challenger. Munroe will give it his all but come up short, possibly on a late stoppage.
Report Card Picks 2010: 24-12
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com