Masanori Rikiishi vs. Eduardo Nunez (28-05-2025) Full Fight
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00:00Gave me the instructions in the dressing room, I expect a good clean fight, protect yourselves at all times, obey my commands at all times, touch them all.
00:14The moment has finally arrived, the vacant IBF World Super Featherweight Championship is up for grabs, Eduardo Sugar Nunez of Mexico in the black trunks, Masanori Rikishi in the white, expect fireworks, expect a finish either way,
00:43these two can bang a bit, and Barry, it could be a short night, it could be an exciting one though.
00:50I think so, I mean, both of them will take their time, they don't rush their work, but once they start going, both of them actually, they go through the gears pretty quickly.
01:00Lovely wide stance there though for Rikishi, that's going to be important for him, if he can use that as well, just to put that chest over that front knee and then use that wide stance just to lean back but still stay on balance.
01:13Trying to make Nunez fall a bit short.
01:17As in our first fight of the evening, there's a significant height differential between the two.
01:25You described Nunez earlier, Barry, as a pocket rocket, he's certainly that, he looks all business and he's just a man that looks hard.
01:32And look at the size on his back.
01:36For a super feather, it's absolutely huge.
01:39And so of course where all the power comes from.
01:42The legs and the back.
01:43When you see him in action, it's no surprise that Anthony Kakache would rather have not have defended the IBF title against this man.
01:55Took on Lee Wood a few weeks ago and that looks an even wiser decision now after the way he dispatched Wood.
02:01But who knows, there could be a meeting of those two somewhere down the line.
02:04Nunez has got to get out of this one and it's a straight right hand which finds the mark.
02:10The first meaningful punch landed of the fight.
02:12But even there, he felt that Rikishi, but he was off balance Nunez when he landed with that shot.
02:17That's just the sheer weight that he, the natural weight he has in his hands.
02:20That's good from Rikishi there, good feet.
02:27Using that hook, that right to Lee Wood took the spin-off off the target there as well.
02:33Needs to use that reach to his advantage and get out of range.
02:37Can't afford Nunez to be able to fire off inside.
02:41You're talking about bringing your hands back as quick as you can, but especially for someone like Nunez,
02:45you've got to bring those hands back faster than they go out.
02:48Good left hook there from Nunez.
02:50Started that with a right hand as well, and Rikishi's got to stay out of range of those kind of attacks.
03:05Shot to the body there from Rikishi.
03:07He doesn't get his body too close when he throws after Rikishi.
03:20Final view, second to the round, again a good right hand from Nunez, more body than head though.
03:29Good epiphate there from Rikishi to finish the round.
03:41赤コーナー エドアルド・ニーニュス メキシコ合衆国 1997年7月25日生まれの20月 メキシコ合衆国出身 デビュー2015年9月 先席は29,028勝1敗 この28勝は全てKO勝によるものです
04:01Last year, Mr. Tucker比, with azhimaçoi with Lee Keqi.
04:05He is in 1994, 6th year old, 30th year old from Mieke & Suzuki.
04:10He debuted in 2017, 7th February 2017.
04:13He played 17,016 games.
04:16He is held with seven seconds to get 11 of the title.
04:22We are now 2nd.
04:26Now round 2.
04:31Nunez a man who's used to being on the road it's not the first time he's had to
04:35go in a fighter's own backyard Shavkat Rakimov dispatched off in
04:40Tajikistan and here he is in Japan taking off Masanori Rikishi
04:48I'm gonna be happy with the start here Nunez I think the former Kishi the
04:53target to hit already early in the fight we thought might have to close the
04:56distance a bit quicker a bit longer taking longer to close the distance I
04:59should say and have more trouble but he's finally ready to be comfortable here
05:05I think Rikishi stumbling back with that right hand trying to follow it up with a
05:09couple of lefts to the body I think that right time but he was off balance but
05:14Rikishi felt it and then that's just I'd say all the time about having power
05:18making people feel it early I think once you do that it puts them on notice and
05:23then everything they do there has to be spot-on which the end of the end of
05:26choking a little bit not letting the hands go freely not throwing enough not
05:30moving enough as you should because you're aware if you make a mistake what
05:33will happen but in reality you have to do the opposite you have to stay more relaxed
05:36do more work be more fluent
05:40what a couple of balances he tries to get out of range Rakimov had joy when he was
05:45fighting on the back foot earlier in the fight but eventually Nunez got to him
05:52you can see Rikishi just trying to stay out of range and beckon Nunez in cuffing right hand over the top
06:04he's got a foot outside there just to spin off as well there Rikishi it's good work
06:09certainly looks like he studied the last few Nunez fights intently and that's
06:19where a few fighters have tried to get a bit more joy with Nunez but he has walked
06:24them down eventually hasn't had too much trouble with southpaws either three of his
06:28last five out of that stance and he's dispatched them all good there from Rikishi again there just
06:35moving around these little cuffing hooks the thing with Nunez when he throws that
06:41right hand he brings that right foot forward that's a mistake he's so heavy
06:45handed he doubles up the back that right hand so so much weight in that in that arm
06:50without using his body that he can throw it twice and get a lot of shovels he can get
06:55away we'll make it that mistake which allows him then to close this is a little
06:59there you can do that where mid-boxers you do that the square that we're gonna get
07:03a court you're gonna get hurt for Nunez it's provided a lot of his highlight
07:09real knockouts
07:13well when you see that right hand coming towards you the last thing you think
07:17would be doing he's throwing blocking evading get out of trouble
07:23she's connected with a few decent shots in this round
07:28right uppercut there but just out of range a strong second round for the
07:33Japanese fighter
07:47anything you did well there Rikishi you know good feet good movement
07:51when you got caught on the ropes for the most part and probably not going to see it now but
07:54you did spin off there you go spin off there get back in the center of the ring
07:57catch catching Nunez coming forward with some lovely little shots
08:03just you see that making Nunez miss
08:05there's no panic for Nunez he is making Rikishi work
08:09not at the flat or pace but making it more probably harder than he wants to make him move a lot
08:13but you're not maybe putting the trigger quick enough and
08:16maybe then his hands goes through to you as he should so but i agree to you Rikishi had a good second round there
08:21one of the big keys to victory for the Japanese was to keep Nunez off and keep himself out of range
08:31in the first two rounds he's done that reasonably successfully
08:37but you only need glance at the record of sugar Nunez and not many have had much joy have they all 28 of
08:43his victory he's coming by way of stoppage but when you watch him he looks easy to train for
08:49you know exactly what he's going to do
08:53i mean you haven't taken the power or the physical the physical strength that he has
08:58and also sometimes when you see boxers what you watch boxers in the river and their presence
09:03makes them bigger makes their shadow as large in the closer distance canelo is the perfect example
09:08of that a short very short super middleweight but his shadow is so big that he puts you in the pressure
09:13about even trying perhaps that is why he's had so many stoppages opponents feel they can get to him
09:20he sets the trap and that's all she wrote
09:27trying to work the body Nunez but Rikishi on the move
09:31it's a powerful Rikishi here just keep changing that direction as well going in the one route there it is
09:39back to you back to your right hand side there good work
09:43making Nunez miss wildly there
09:49but that change direction is going to do that just it makes it happen to set his feet to mount an attack
09:54just there it's going to be hard for Rikishi to keep this up over the distance he's having to put an awful lot of work in here
10:06if you train for it it's a little bit easier if you train the cosmic move on your feet almost
10:10it comes like a second nature sort of thing it almost doesn't doesn't drain your tank the other
10:14things do but that doesn't good shot and again after he's fired it didn't wait and admire it got
10:25himself out i think from Nunez coming back a bit of frustration for the mexican as well here i think so
10:31yeah he just needs a quick in his feet a little faint to come in or double that jab that towards that
10:35distance just walking forward in this role maybe a bit of confidence from the last rounds for
10:40rikishi but he's starting to throw it up more often here and Nunez just taking too long to get to the
10:45target that eight the route a to b which is what just so effectively is a little bit slower this time
10:53being made to chase the japanese he won't panic though will he
11:00his end game needs to stop you at some point so as long as you're working he won't he won't mind
11:10from nunez though some of that body work might come in handy later as he gets a left hand
11:22and it's also hard to cut the win off against his hotel as well when you're an auto-lock fighter
11:27lovely word there from rikishi
11:30a good solid end to the round for the japanese which draws the appreciation of this home crowd
11:36never a crowd to get too overly vocal in japan which is sometimes nice from a judging point of
11:45view they can't be swayed by the rules and the r's but you can be swayed by some of the work though
11:51from rikishi i think you know even though it's new there's still forcing the pace pushing him back you
11:56should see there and then his hands over being blocked there from rikishi we mentioned earlier in well
12:00schooled takes a good job he has not have to take a good shot so far in this fight moving really well
12:06the last two runs been really good for him that last one in particular has just moved well then his
12:11hands go with confidence and authority and nunez no panic for him yet but a couple more runs like
12:19that and there will be a little bit more urgency in his work well rikishi would have set just little
12:25landmarks in the fight and when he glanced down nunez's record 18 wins inside three rounds 14 wins
12:31inside two rounds you'll be seeing this as a mini victory just to get into this the fourth
12:44does it suit rikishi more the longer it goes it's difficult to say that isn't it against the man who
12:50just stops people for fun it depends on the form stiff right that connected its shots like that which
12:57will start to put a few question marks around rikishi's ability to drag this one out but rikishi was
13:04throwing as well there you know so you know he wasn't being um bullied in any sense i mean back to your
13:11question like depends on the fight's going i think you know i think look nunez keeps that power late
13:16you know he has a good engine so dragging him into those later rounds that's not always a good thing
13:21you know it's not it's a bad thing to get stopped early obviously but i mean you're still not in not
13:26you're not in a safe place ever with it but if you're making the academy's used to if you're
13:32tying them up if you're landing the shots and these have the rushes working with tire for the no and now
13:38we'll see a different nunez possibly just a danger rikishi on the move so much a couple of occasions
13:44they're slightly off balance if he catches one of these nunez shots
13:49on the back foot it may not be the most powerful of shots but it might be enough to topple him
13:54yes that's better from nunez just a second just that moving his head little rocking side to side
14:01just disguise that that walk forward
14:03down those feet plant them and find the shots that little left hook to the body it's
14:11it's favorite combo left of the body and a left uppercut
14:15lovely shot there from nunez
14:19the need as he gets into these punches
14:20just you see the tip of the knees just before he throws that right hand over the top
14:27yeah the toes are gripping the canvas on some of these now
14:31so he's just standing at that little bump side to side let's just give a little bit more
14:35helping with the momentum coming forward there give him a bit more rhythm in his work
14:39with a good change of tact here from nunez yeah now he's stalking rikishi rather than chasing him
14:51takes one on the counter there but i think he knows he's gonna have to take a few
14:54and he's so strong you can't hold him so wide you can't get your arms on there that's the truth
15:04yeah he gets out of those clinches so quickly and then faces in a shot
15:11trying to get that left to the body working
15:15there's an uppercut there for nunez he chose the hook on the side there's an uppercut was the shot of choice
15:24the right upper cup right at the end of the round but as ever when you get a fight
15:37on a morning in japan you get all action
15:39good round that for nunez who's that distance quickly let his hands go
15:55with their hands up nice and high as well looking to block and counter when he could
16:00but you think he just had to use his body move a little bit more in that round and i think that
16:05helped him close the distance more effectively and then when he got close because he was swaying
16:10side to side you've got you just give him a little more room to his work and let his hands go
16:13pick his shots a lot better yeah that's that that was the wrong definitely there's that might be a
16:17turning point yeah he'll come back again i think i hurt him not enough to you know to stop him but
16:23enough to slow him down and i think that if that's the case it's going to be a hard night here for
16:28rikishi got a little grasp of some of the power that nunez can produce in that round
16:39hard to believe he took up boxing because he was being bullied at school
16:42can you imagine bullying that guy as he wicks another left-handed and rikishi just
16:47backed up onto the ropes now not of his own choice
16:50rikishi has to get that balance right the throw which you don't get overall but also
16:58throwing it out making giving big gaps for nunez to fire through the middle
17:06not being allowed to move around with the same ease he could in the first three rounds
17:13i think the corner just said listen get closer get closer get closer quicker
17:17three or four unanswered shots there from nunez
17:23you can choose that listen to the body that's right around the back of the elbow as well
17:27nunez you can feel those body shots as well there is a real purpose behind them
17:37that is going to slow the pace of rikishi where he's able to move with ease as he gets his head snapped back
17:43there
17:48nunez starting to go through the gears that that combination he loves the left of the body then
17:54the corkscrew uppercut
17:58all he needs to do there bring that right elbow chopped down with the right hand
18:07no rest bite here is there from rikishi at all
18:10he's on him he really got through nunez he's on him all the time
18:14left hook connects nunez starting to slip through the gears now
18:22just a bit of the ropes there there for rikishi
18:23can't afford to stand close and trade and at times it's not a trade it's nunez teeing off
18:36three or four unanswered one again to the body which just had rikishi
18:41feeling another left dug in with purpose this is solid stuff from nunez now
18:46so he takes a good shot rikishi but he's had to as they look at this
18:51never left hook there from nunez again turning his body with every punch
19:02there's a few signs of stress now for rikishi stars to go up and this is a better response from
19:09the japanese he's had to take a lot in this round and he needed that flurry i think that feels right
19:15so i think that wobbled nunez
19:20so he's pushing back on his heels for sure the hope is it hasn't angered him as rikishi gets in
19:25another dixon blow oh good shot again there from rikishi both men opening up at the end of the fifth
19:40breathless stuff as we thought it would be
19:45the pace of that round especially the last 30 40 seconds was absolutely fantastic
19:52you've got to give rikishi so much credit because that was a hard round for him but then all of a
19:55sudden he's had to fight it back
19:58i mean there's no picking the shots really well then even though they look like they're arm punches for him
20:02and punches and full bloody shots they really are you see the way he turns it out that left to go
20:08on the top there he turns that body to that shot so beautifully i'm just wrong right here that shot
20:15there i think that hurts
20:20a little bit there yeah just went back a little bit
20:27now now
20:28proud energized by the finish to the fifth round from
20:31around sonori rikishi but it was noticeable in a couple of those shots the reddening around his back in
20:38his arm area where nunez is continually punishing him
20:45one looks a little bit low there but it's another significant body blow
20:48two more areas
20:56one looks a little bit low there then
20:56another almost a little bit low there then
21:00all the edges
21:04a little bit like it goes out a bit low there from rikishi
21:06Great timing from the Japanese, but he needs a few more of those.
21:25Just creating a bit of distance here,
21:26Rikishi still only let his hands go a little bit.
21:29Looking a little bit more in control
21:31as he skips away from Nunes here
21:33as he did in the sort of Preston's second round,
21:36but Nunes when he comes forward now,
21:38he's starting to pin him in.
21:42So sometimes he throws three different shots,
21:44straight shot for hooks,
21:46but also he punches across the body as well,
21:48same with that right hand.
21:51There's always a barrage of blows,
21:54Rikishi just drops out,
21:55I think he felt that body shot.
21:58A grimace combined with a smile.
22:01Good work there from Nunes.
22:03Right up, he cut straight right over the top
22:05and then he left at the finish.
22:13There's the body shot from Rikishi,
22:15which started this and has just stemmed the flow from Nunes.
22:22Heads are coming close to go,
22:23I think they're going to continue to.
22:25Good shot.
22:27And again.
22:29You wouldn't advise punching with Nunes,
22:33but Rikishi having a go,
22:35and it's working for him at times.
22:37Yeah, trying a firefight in there might not be the best tactic.
22:41Good boy shot again there from Rikishi,
22:43but good right hand back there from Nunes.
22:45Good fight, isn't it?
22:47It's so far been a great fight.
22:49I don't think we're expecting anything less.
22:51The latest in a long line of brilliant Mexico versus Japan battles.
22:53Just last May we saw No Inoue climb off the canvas in the first round
22:57to put away Luis Neri in six.
23:01He's providing some similar fireworks.
23:17Neither Mann's gone down yet,
23:19but I tell you what,
23:20they won't be able to take too many more shots
23:23like those that they've seen through the first six here.
23:26Before the first one.
23:27James Niders龍,
23:28left out five,
23:29and you did not play maybe a match.
23:306-8.
23:47Shot there from Lunez.
23:48Just using that leverage of his body to twist into the punches.
23:53And the good ball shows.
23:54Langevin's shot that should really
23:56be making more of an effect against Rokishi.
23:58But Rokishi's showing, we knew he had a good chin.
24:00We're showing a really good resolve here
24:02to not only absorb the pressure, but the fire back
24:05with quality of his own.
24:07Under pressure always, but constantly
24:09with the fire back with some quality work,
24:11making Lunez work for every success
24:14that he's having at the moment.
24:227-7.
24:25Now Langevin's 7.
24:29Well, the longer it goes, the more maybe Rokishi
24:31won't fancy it, because he's taken some big, big shots
24:35from Lunez, but he's still very much standing.
24:38I don't think I can remember him being truly wobbled
24:45by anything yet.
24:52No, not at all.
24:53I mean, you can see he's felt a few shots,
24:55but there'll be no panic, no danger there.
24:57He's going to even look for a rest, is he?
25:00No, he gets caught in the shots.
25:01He looks to fire back.
25:02He did get whipped back there by that right hand.
25:07Always looks a little bit more dramatic
25:09when you're the taller fighter.
25:10And again there.
25:17And this is a tricky moment for Rokishi,
25:19as Lunez once again starts to unload.
25:21There's been about 8-10 in a row here without riposte.
25:25And as you mentioned, it's such a range and a variety.
25:38Very difficult to predict where the next one's coming from,
25:41from Lunez, and that's what makes him so dangerous,
25:43the left hook there, swaying Rokishi a bit.
25:47And I think Lunez has equal power in either hand.
25:50Sometimes you're strong with your left,
25:52your right cross is better than your left hook.
25:54But with him, I think the balance is perfect.
25:56He's waiting to need the shot.
25:59Left hook to the body enough to bring the breakfast up.
26:02And now he goes headhunting as well.
26:04It's from everywhere, and that's what makes it so difficult
26:07for Rokishi, he doesn't know where to defend.
26:17Still looking as far back though.
26:19I mean, this is not a fight he needs to be in.
26:20It's nowhere near, but he's not winning this battle for sure,
26:24but look at the fire back.
26:29It's that right, uppercut now, and then the cross as well.
26:34Fantastic work ethic here from Lunez.
26:37Head down, full steam ahead from Lunez.
26:42And that's where you've got to, like Lunez, he's a big pincher.
26:44He's good, always looking for knocking off.
26:46Of course, that's what's happening every time he gets in the ring.
26:48But he doesn't just feel sorry for himself when he's hit with a good shot,
26:51and he doesn't get the effect.
26:53He's a guy who has real self-belief.
26:54I just keep working away, chipping away, chipping away.
26:57And that means he'll be busy every second of every round.
27:09Nice one-two there from Rokishi, but not able to then get out of range.
27:14Perhaps the engine just not quite as full as it was earlier,
27:17which is understandable.
27:22Good show around here from Lunez.
27:26Rokishi trying to leave a lasting impression, though,
27:29in the final couple of seconds of it.
27:31And that was important for him, just from a personal point of view.
27:36Because for the most part there, Barry was dominated in that round.
27:39He was, yeah, you know, he's had a bit of success when he went close,
27:42he was back to the ropes.
27:44And I think he's thinking I could block and conquer,
27:47like I have been doing.
27:48But he hasn't been winning most of the rounds,
27:50that's the truth, even though he's been competitive and won a couple.
27:53But this round was a big round here for Lunez.
27:55Without really rocking Rokishi, he kept him at bay,
28:00sort of kept him in his little corner, in his pocket, if you will.
28:02Worked away in Rokishi, he wasn't responding as well as he had in previous rounds.
28:06It was clever work for him, he uses that shoulder and that forearm as well
28:12to keep pushing you back all the time.
28:14And as you're on the rope, he pinches that right hand on the centre as well,
28:17just to open up your tuck and bend over a little bit more.
28:21It's more than just...
28:23On the surface, he's got lots of strength and power,
28:26he walks forward and bullies you,
28:27but I think there's more smart in him than you give him credit for.
28:30Yeah, he's such a powerful man, he pins you into those ropes,
28:36and as you say, drops that shoulder, and there's nowhere to go.
28:45But by no means is he dominating this entire fight.
28:49Rokishi has shown plenty to suggest that he could well be walking away
28:53with this vacant cycle as well.
28:54It's very much up for grabs here in Yokohama.
28:59This is the eighth round, scheduled for 12.
29:05Oh, and a little stumble there from there, it's just off balance.
29:13Always a danger with the south pole, but the feet can get tangled.
29:15Oh, it's a good run, Rokishi.
29:18Well, it's that news, that length.
29:21It's like the pitchers from Nunez gets too close.
29:24I mean, you've got to try and pick up the points before he gets you,
29:27and then cover it up, and try and fire back before you move off.
29:30Yeah, you use that reach.
29:33Use that high, can't afford to take two.
29:37And here, though, he's no stiff jab from Nunez.
29:41But you know Nunez is going to close the distances,
29:43and Everglades too strong to hold back.
29:46But then when he gets close, then you have to try and tuck up
29:48and hope you can absorb one on your arms.
29:50And then flurry a little bit.
29:51He'll have a one big shot, and then spin like he was
29:53within the early rounds.
29:55Get back to the center of the ring, use that long reach again,
29:57and just reset, go again, reset, go again.
30:00And as he did in those early rounds here, Rokishi,
30:03on his bike, on the move, making himself a difficult target.
30:07I've got to say, that's the typical thing.
30:10I know when you've been on your bike, if you stay on your, it sounds weird,
30:13if you stay on your bike for the whole, you've sort of got a rhythm in your work,
30:16and your brain always gets you, you're flowing, you're flowing, you're flowing.
30:19But when you hold your feet for a couple of rounds, and let's get back on your bike again,
30:23that it's difficult to do, but physically it's difficult to do.
30:28And a couple of times when he's got in close and got into an exchange,
30:31he's had some joys, and then there's the opposite side.
30:34He wants to get involved, and a Japanese crowd enjoy,
30:38a Japanese fighter seems to enjoy it as well.
30:42He just won't go away, will he?
30:48That's the thing, and he has had as many stoppages late in fights
30:53as he's had them early, and as you mentioned,
30:55he carries that power into the later rounds, that's the key.
31:00Well, his work ethic's fantastic, that's what it is always bringing in.
31:04Great right hand there.
31:17You could argue, even, if he took the time a little bit,
31:19he'd be a bigger pitcher than even was.
31:23Good work for Makushi.
31:26Yeah, lovely.
31:30Keeps the crowd onside as well, solid end to the round.
31:34Both men stay and exchange a couple of words.
31:37Great Mexican-Japanese battles for the year from 10 a few years ago,
31:49and Francisco Vargas beat Takushi Miura in this division as well for the WBC crowd.
31:54That is the worry for Rikishi when he's had a couple of moments,
32:09they've been followed by Nunes unloading the tank.
32:11Some encouragement, though, for Rikishi's corner.
32:27Nice corner.
32:36As long as he didn't expect this, let's be honest, you know where you want it.
32:39Like I said, Ben Nunes, you know what you're training for with him.
32:44There's no, I don't think there's any surprises unless you think he's as strong as he looks.
32:48Yeah, he's not a man, I think, that would hold deceptive power.
32:54And he's by no means to criticise Anthony Cacace,
33:04but if he's decided not to take Nunes because he's seen this and thought,
33:09maybe not quite yet.
33:10But there's an argument, though, once you win a world title,
33:12you shouldn't turn on any challenge, but I think for him and for his age,
33:17and the chance of doing the big money, I think that was the reason.
33:20And I know he ticked the box of winning the world title.
33:23There was a chance of a big money fight for him against someone who's not in his peak anymore.
33:31He had to do the right thing, and he never said he'd get towards it.
33:34It was a long journey to get there for Cacace.
33:37Now maybe the next few Nunes are the money that he was after.
33:42Nunes, a man around seven years, he's junior as well.
33:45Eddie Hearn's been talking up a potential fight with Ray Ford,
33:52if he comes through this one.
33:54Great fight.
33:56I think Ray Ford has a fantastic moment for the penalty,
33:58but I think he's suited him as well.
34:02But to set up those potential fights, he's got to get through this,
34:06and it's going to be easier said than done because Rikishi is wearing the battle here.
34:10Rikishi just keeping those elbows tucked in tights,
34:21those hands are highs, and he's just taking the sting out of some of these
34:24heavy shots here from Nunes.
34:27And as we've seen on a few of the replays, Nunes is punching through that guard.
34:32Rikishi just throws an arm or catches you on the move.
34:46It doesn't waste any opportunity to get a shot through,
34:49that's what's been the impressive thing.
34:54Rocking the head about, and Rikishi there, that right hand.
35:02And again with the straight right after softening up the body with a left hook.
35:07Really good runs here for Nunes.
35:13Rikishi trying to push him off, but it's easier said than done.
35:18Good run with a good left hand there, don't Rikishi?
35:21That's going straight left hand on the middle.
35:24Oh, Nunes in close and doing some great work here, Nunes,
35:29as Rikishi desperately tries to fend off the Mexican at the end of the ninth.
35:41That was a really hard run there for Rikishi, really hard.
35:46Took some heavy shots and didn't really respond.
35:48He did at the end a little bit, but I think Nunes came up with a bit of intent there.
35:53And his work ethic is just unbelievable.
35:56The guy who's looking to and go with heavy shots for every punch.
36:00This is all throwing punches.
36:01Again, the variety there, body, right hand over the top.
36:04Brings him up through the middle, straight right hand,
36:06down the pipe as well there to the stomach.
36:10Just the sheer weight pushing your head back.
36:12And Rikishi, I think he's passed that wrong.
36:16Didn't look seriously hurt, but struggled a little bit.
36:18And he's going to need a second in here.
36:22Otherwise, it's going to be a hard run to the finishing line.
36:28All in to the tenth.
36:33Barry, how do you see it so far as a right hand from Nunes?
36:36Goes over the top, might not need a scorecard at this right.
36:39That was a big shot from Nunes.
36:41That's the first time that Rikishi has really been stumbled.
36:44And there's a long, long way to go in this round now.
36:48The right hand as well there for Nunes.
36:51He's already up on the scorecards for me.
36:55We won't be happy with that.
36:56Fodding right hand again as Nunes finds his range.
37:02And that's the worst thing.
37:03Nunes is on your case anyway, but if you show you're tired or hurt,
37:07if you're going to turn that screw, you will.
37:10Well, Rikishi needed a second win, but he's getting the win taken out of him here.
37:20It's as though Nunes has decided this is where we start to take it away.
37:26Clips you want to side, Nunes.
37:28See the right hand on the top, left, and all of a sudden they're bringing it through the middle.
37:33But they're straight on an uppercut.
37:34This is impressive stuff from Nunes, forcing Rikishi back to the corner.
37:45And he manages to shove the Mexican off.
37:49Oh, no shot left there for Nunes as well.
37:54Well, if Rikishi is thinking about getting into a firefight now, it might all end pretty quickly.
37:59Come on, Nunes! Come on, Nunes! Come on, Nunes!
38:02Come on, Nunes!
38:03Come on, Nunes!
38:08Slides run into the body, Rikishi, but doesn't really have much of an effect.
38:11Nunes on the other hand, though.
38:13A left, another right there, straight through the defense and snapping that head back.
38:19Oh, good shot there from Rikishi there, really good work, but under the cost, no effect on Nunes, he's walked forward.
38:30Yeah, self-preservation stuff at times from Rikishi, he's just throwing those shots, I think, to just keep Nunes off.
38:36But it's Nunes who keeps walking him down, and he's happy to come through these attacks now.
38:42He can't just non-stop, isn't it, from Nunes, the energy on the mound.
38:48It is relentless, sometimes I'm not in favor of the CompuBox stats, but this is the kind of fight you'd love to see them.
38:56The power shots thrown by Nunes, and those of the landed.
39:00Good right-handed getting there from Nunes.
39:09Rikishi backed up onto the ropes, and doesn't want to be there.
39:13Desperate to keep Nunes off, but it's an impossible task at the moment.
39:20From a good chin there, Rikishi going to get caught here right-handed as he was throwing.
39:25And another right hand got through there, it was preluded by the left as those body shots go in again.
39:30And Rikishi getting worked down at the end of the round, a punishing tent.
39:36And he is breathing heavy in that corner now.
39:42Because he looks as fresh as a day, is he?
39:46It's the funny thing about pace, when you dictate it, when you're boxing with your pace,
39:51it's more comfortable for you, obviously.
39:53But I mean, you could see, it looked like you could do a breeze.
39:55It's hard, but you're regulating your breathing.
39:58But that was another hard run. The run before was hard, and we mentioned that, well,
40:03Rikishi may be starting to fall, but this run was the first time he looked like he was in real trouble here.
40:08And Nunes, but he dug in the battle pack.
40:12Rikishi had landed with some good shots of his own at his moment, but
40:15Nunes, not just a weight in the shot, but the strength, the engine is just fantastic, it really is.
40:25Shades off that Rikishi fight last summer, when Nunes got the job done in the 11th,
40:31having worn down his opponent with an absolute barrage in the 10th.
40:37And that's what happened here, where we get a similar outcome.
40:45Difficult to know what Rikishi can do to have some success as he takes that left uppercut.
40:51He just glanced, I think, though, at Khalid from Rikishi.
41:00Even the glancing blows of Nunes, though, have an effect, don't they?
41:05And the more tired drag, the more effect they'll have at you, so, and again,
41:08as we've mentioned, he keeps that power throughout the whole, the whole contest.
41:13It's dangerous, because he keeps it late.
41:14Rapid fire from Nunes again.
41:21Doesn't take a rest either, does he, Nunes?
41:31Here's all action in the court, Rikishi, there is nowhere to go,
41:35he's got to get away from those ropes, manages to avoid that roundhouse right,
41:39which might well have ended it early.
41:43Well, in this round, at least, the 11th here, scheduled for 12.
41:46Will we see the final bell?
41:53He must be thinking, I just do enough shots here to start Wilton.
41:59Credit to Rikishi, trying to get some movement back in those legs,
42:04trying to keep on the move, trying to keep Nunes off,
42:07but it's just been an impossible task for him.
42:21This is there, hardly, with the uppercut, Nunes just taking his time here.
42:28He's actually just following Rikishi around here, but too much.
42:34Oh, can polish that.
42:37Just a few too many of Rikishi's shots are just riposte at the moment,
42:44just looking to keep Nunes off, but as you said, Barry,
42:47he's not really walking him down at the moment, just following his movement.
42:51I think he's even had one big punch,
42:53just that, the unravelling here of Rikishi, but...
42:56I don't know what's going to happen now.
43:00It's a lot of pressurising, keeping on the ropes here.
43:03Going to go back to those body shots again.
43:10Try and slow down this movement.
43:12Fucking the right hand up the stairs.
43:16Got every punch in the book.
43:18Rikishi's going to need something pretty special in the final round.
43:33I mean, for another fighter, you think the work was done, for Nunes, I think he's going to think,
43:53why is he still in his feet?
43:55And I think he'll go for the finish.
43:56I think he'll be more intense in his work.
43:58And for Rikishi, you'll see the finishing line now.
44:01I mean, he's exhausted, for sure.
44:03But sometimes when you see that finishing line,
44:05when you've only got three minutes, you get that adrenaline rush.
44:07Gives you that little second wind, you might be able to have enough energy to see the distance.
44:11Or is he going to go for the win?
44:13Because he's way behind when the score has.
44:15We really need something special here.
44:18It's one of those moments where you just console yourself with,
44:22let's get to the end of the contest.
44:25I'm not going to win it.
44:26Or you go out on your shield, as they say, and take that risk.
44:32Well, only one fighter has avoided a KO defeat against Eduardo Sugar Nunes.
44:37Rikishi has the opportunity to add his name to that list.
44:41But can he stop Nunes in this last round?
44:46He probably has to, if he's to take this vacant title.
44:51Uppercut there.
44:52But then Nunes just comes back firing.
44:54Again, you've got nothing else from Nunes.
44:57He takes a good shot, as Rikishi did.
44:59We knew that before this contest on paper.
45:02So it's an intriguing one.
45:03Both guys with good chins.
45:04One with decent power.
45:07One with really good power.
45:08One with decent power.
45:09So it's always going to be about...
45:14Oh, that offense matched up against the Jettlers.
45:18And Rikishi has managed to absorb that power so far.
45:23We've mentioned before the power that Nunes can take into the later rounds.
45:27This the last as Rikishi gets round with a right hook of his own.
45:31And getting a little bit of joy and a ovation from this home crowd.
45:37Yeah, great work from Rikishi.
45:39But Nunes just got to keep the pressure now.
45:41Because this is usually one of those things that would die quite quick.
45:46Kind of adrenaline rush where you're at 30 and then you'll go back.
45:49When you've got a tired fighter there, get back to zero quite quick with energy levels.
45:53And Rikishi knows that he needs a stoppage.
45:57And he's going to go out on his shield here.
45:59The worry is Nunes can take him out because of that.
46:06It's literally been non-stop.
46:09The left hook there from Nunes and a right hand.
46:11Rikishi visibly tired but biting down on the gunshot and giving it a right go in this 12th.
46:25Not quite the snap, any shots that there were earlier for Nunes though.
46:31It's a different story as he starts to walk forward again.
46:34They're going to go out firing here.
46:42Good work.
46:43Just doesn't give you a second.
46:45He's on you all the time.
46:46You ain't trying to retreat.
46:47You find that last little shot there.
46:49They hit you on the move.
46:51Absolutely no respite.
46:53Again, the mixture of body and head shots.
47:00Rikishi desperately trying to see the final bell.
47:04And probably deserves to.
47:12Nunes gets through with a right hand.
47:14Just in danger of smothering some of his work.
47:17He's got a bit frantic up close there.
47:21Final seconds of an enthralling battle.
47:25As Eduardo Nunes goes for stoppage number 29.
47:28And a big right hand to finish it with Rikishi.
47:31We'll see the final bell.
47:32I think he knows who's got this one.
47:36Sugar Nunes is celebrating a rueful look from Rikishi.
47:42But he can be proud of the effort he put in over those 12 rounds.
47:45And in the end this man just too much.
47:50The barrage, the consistency and the work rate.
47:54Barry Jones has surely seen Eduardo Sugar Nunes claim this vacant title.
47:58That was fantastic to watch.
48:01There wasn't five seconds there when nothing happened.
48:06For the whole contest.
48:08In every round, it wasn't a five second gap where you could just breathe.
48:12It was non-stop.
48:13And you've got to get Nunes to pray for that.
48:14He pushed the pace throughout.
48:16Rikishi was fantastic.
48:17I think his resolve was brilliant.
48:18Some of his shots that he threw under pressure.
48:21No, Nunes is not used to that.
48:22And he was certainly when you got a fighter who was tired and hurt.
48:26And just seeing that last round how much work he did under pressure again with Rikishi.
48:30But Nunes, he's not just a big strong guy who bullies you and hurt you and stops you.
48:36He looks like he just walks forward.
48:40But actually, when he thinks about it, he picks his shot really well.
48:44Shot selection is fantastic.
48:45He had change from, because the hooks, the straight shots around the middle, over the top.
48:49Brings me into the elbow down with him.
48:51Rooks through the middle then.
48:52Straight shots in the mid-drift.
48:54Quite often you're always making you guess where the shot's going to come from.
48:58The only thing that's constant with him is the weight of the shot.
49:01Every shot's a heavy shot with him.
49:03But his work ethic, like I said, is real great.
49:07His commitment to not giving you a second rest is what suffocates fighters.
49:12And he just came in as a real stubborn guy in Rikishi here.
49:16Because any of the fighters, a lot of the fighters would have wilted.
49:19And you wouldn't have blamed him for that, by the way.
49:20Because he is an absolute menace.
49:23And I think he's winning quite wide here.
49:25He's winning quite wide here, Nunes.
49:27And he gets that IBF strap.
49:30And they're all unnoticed now.
49:31Because, sorry Daddy, he'll be easy to train for.
49:34Because you know what you've got.
49:35And you can see he walks in straight lines at times.
49:38And you can see that.
49:39But you've got to keep him off you.
49:41And that's going to be the problem.
49:42Because he also looks like he has a very, very good chin.
49:47The beauty for Eddie Hearn is it won't be a difficult sell.
49:51Putting Eduardo Sugar Nunes in.
49:53Let's make it official.
50:38117-111, 1-17 to 1-11.
50:44The winner by unanimous decision,
50:49IBF SuperFatAweight new champion,
50:54at left corner, Sugar, and Arno Nunu.
51:02The taste of title triumph also sweet for
51:05Eduardo Sugar Nunes,
51:08who becomes the new IBF SuperFatAweight champion of the world,
51:13and puts the rest of a highly competitive division on notice.
51:18Unanimous decision, ladies and gentlemen!
51:20He gets it unanimously, a whole range of scorecards,
51:23but it doesn't matter how they score it, Barry,
51:25they got the right winner.
51:26They did get the right winner.
51:27I think 1-15, 1-13 is ridiculously too close,
51:31I think 1-16, 1-12 it is.