Why couldn't Kazuto Ioka finish his attack? A thorough explanation of Takuma Inoue's tactics

Why was Takuma Inoue able to beat Kazuto Ioka?

—12 rounds of superiority in "distance," "judgment," and "patience"

Boxing is often thought of as a sport where the person who lands the hardest punches wins.

However, in reality, "at what distance to fight" and "what not to let the opponent do" are even more important.

The reason Takuma Inoue was able to beat Kazuto Ioka this time lies exactly there.

It was not about simple "punch volume" or "fighting spirit," but about maintaining "his own distance" throughout the entire match.

That was the biggest reason for his victory.

1. What is Kazuto Ioka's strength?

First, as a premise, Ioka is a highly complete fighter.

His particular strengths are:

Technique to close the distance with the opponent

Body attacks

Tactics in close-quarters combat

Ability to make adjustments during the match

These are his strengths.

Applying pressure at close range, stopping the opponent, and wearing them down with body shots.

This is Ioka's classic pattern.

In other words, to beat Ioka, it is important "not to let him fight as he likes at close range."

2. Takuma Inoue "did not let him in"

Takuma Inoue's distance management was excellent this time.

The jab was particularly effective.

It wasn't a flashy jab meant to knock the opponent out,

but rather one used to stop the timing of Ioka's entries,

disrupt his rhythm,

and force him to stop moving his feet.

He was thorough in using the jab for these purposes.

Because of this, Ioka was unable to smoothly enter his preferred range.

In boxing, it is important not only whether your attacks land, but also whether you prevented your opponent from doing what they wanted to do.

Takuma Inoue did that extremely well.

3. Not forcing an exchange was a major factor.

Ioka is an experienced fighter, so he is strong when it comes to exchanges.

Especially at mid-to-close range, he often excels in subtle tactical maneuvering.

However, Takuma Inoue did not emotionally fire back.

He would strike and move away.

He did not stay in the danger zone for long.

This 'patience' was significant.

From a spectator's perspective, a flashy exchange is more exciting.

However, looking at it as a contest, his decision to calmly keep cutting the distance was extremely rational.

4. There was also an age and speed difference.

Of course, the physical aspect cannot be ignored either.

Takuma Inoue had good speed and reactions.

In particular,

the speed of his movement in and out

his reaction to counters

and his recovery after throwing punches

were consistent.

On the other hand, while Ioka has overwhelming experience, there were fewer instances than before where he could freely continue to close the distance.

Even the slightest difference in reaction speed has a major impact in a world title fight.

5. This match was a "technical battle"

If you look at this match simply in terms of "who was stronger," you lose sight of the essence.

Rather,

who was able to create their own distance

who took control of the initiative

and who neutralized the opponent's strengths

when viewed from these perspectives, the reasons for Takuma Inoue's victory become clear.

Takuma Inoue proceeded with the match at his own tempo while neutralizing Ioka's strengths.

That is why he won.

Summary

To summarize the reasons why Takuma Inoue was able to beat Kazuto Ioka,

he controlled the distance with his jab and footwork

He did not allow Ioka to engage in close-quarters combat.

He avoided forced exchanges.

He was superior in speed and reaction.

He took control of the entire match.

It all comes down to these five points.

Even if it wasn't a flashy knockout, it was a highly polished victory.

And this match was one that made me realize once again that "boxing is not a sport of trading punches, but a sport of competing for distance."

Thank you for reading until the end.
Takeshi Martial Arts