Yoko Higashi outstruck Reina Miura for 15 minutes to score a decision win at Deep 101 last Sunday. The Pancrase veteran jabbed her way to victory at the Korakuen Hall, leaving her opponent’s face a bloody mess.
This catchweight contest was set for 141lbs and Higashi started snapping her opponent’s he’s snack with jabs right from the offset. Miura had some success in the clinch and landed some solid looking knees to the midsection.
But her inability to avoid the jab was fast becoming the story of the fight. An accidental eye poke by Higashi paused the contest briefly at the start of the second and Miura charged forwards when the action resumed.
Eating jabs
But she soon found herself eating jabs and ended up on her back after Higashi caught a kick and tried to take her down. Miura used a hip toss attempt to escape but soon found herself on the receiving end of more straight left hands.
A right cross sent Miura stumbling backwards at the start of the third and she was briefly in her back. ‘King Reina’ worked her way up only to get trapped in a standing guillotine.
Too little too late
She escaped and landed some knees to the legs and body as they clinched against the cage. The referee separated them and Higashi continued to pepper Miura’s face with punches.
A one- two from Miura landed flush and Higashi looked on wobbly legs but she recovered fast. ‘King Reina’ gave her opponent a taste of her own medicine with a solid jab right on the bell but it was to little too late.
All three judges scored the fight for Higashi who improves to 6-2 after registering her first Deep win. Miura drops to 12-4 and all four of her defeats have come by way of decision.
Best of the rest
Ryuichiro Sumimura (17-8) is the reigning Deep welterweight champion. His title wasn’t on the line but he did improve his record with a decision win over Nao Yoneda (7-5), extending his winning streak to three.
Exciting flyweight prospect Yuki Ito (8-1) scored a submission win over the experienced Tomohiro Adaniya (16-15). He finished the fight with a rear naked choke late in the second round.
Deep 101, Tokyo, July 20th
Ryuichiro Sumimura def. Nao Yoneda by Decision (Unanimous)
Yoko Higashi def. Reina Miura by Decision (Unanimous)
Yuki Ito def. Tomohiro Adaniya by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:51 of Round 2
Koichi Ishizuka def. Kosuke Terashima by Decision (Split)
Sho Sekihara def. Hiroya Kondo by Decision (Unanimous)
Ayumu Yamamoto def. Taisei Nishitani by TKO (Punches) at 3:09 of Round 1
