Comments Thread For: Yamanaka Beats Ioka For Japan's 'Fighter of The Year'

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

On Tuesday, journalists from Tokyo and Osaka held their yearly voting process that was overseen by the JBC [Japan Boxing Commission], to select the most prominent fighters of 2013 in Japan. The ceremony to present the honored awards will take place on January 24 at the luxurious Tokyo Hotel in the Tokyo Dome. [Click Here To Read More]

[bigcursedawg]

There's no question Yamanaka had a better run in 2013. 3 solid wins all by ko and stopped Guevara, something Santa Cruz couldn't do. His win against Nieves was the weakest of his 3 wins las year but the fashion he did it in was still impressive. While Ioka has a great resume for he amount of fights he has; the opposition he faced this year has pretty pathetic. I don't know what his handlers are doing with him but he aren't getting him fights that will prepare him for the big dogs at 112 like Estrada or Gonzalez.
If anything it should've been Yamanaka and Miura in the running for Japan's fighter of the year. He has 3 solid wins, all against too rated contenders. He stopped Diaz to win his belt, won a war in Mexico against Thompson in his first defense, and then brutized Jardon and New Years.

[MBE]

There's no question Yamanaka had a better run in 2013. 3 solid wins all by ko and stopped Guevara, something Santa Cruz couldn't do. His win against Nieves was the weakest of his 3 wins las year but the fashion he did it in was still impressive. While Ioka has a great resume for he amount of fights he has; the opposition he faced this year has pretty pathetic. I don't know what his handlers are doing with him but he aren't getting him fights that will prepare him for the big dogs at 112 like Estrada or Gonzalez.
If anything it should've been Yamanaka and Miura in the running for Japan's fighter of the year. He has 3 solid wins, all against too rated contenders. He stopped Diaz to win his belt, won a war in Mexico against Thompson in his first defense, and then brutized Jardon and New Years.

I think Felix Alvarado was a good test for Ioka, he showed a great chin to compliment his superb boxing skills in that fight. The Japanese scene looks set to be really hot this year.

[bigcursedawg]

I think Felix Alvarado was a good test for Ioka, he showed a great chin to compliment his superb boxing skills in that fight. The Japanese scene looks set to be really hot this year.

That was by far his best win last year but Alvarado was still pretty green himself. That's why I don't think it was that great of win compared to Yamanaka's or Miura's level of competetition. Alvarado had never even been past the 6th round before that fight, but he surprised me that he was able to fight a hard 12 rounds like that. He showed promise and might be able to be a champ one day.

[any craic lad?]

Yamanaka deserved it imo.It'd be great if at some stage this year we got to see Yama vs Moreno a real fight for division supremacy