There were many reasons to appreciate the fight that Hiroto Kyoguchi and Esteban Bermudez put on in Guadaljara last night, but two stood out.
The Japanese light flyweight retained his WBA and Ring Magazine titles with an eighth-round stoppage. However, the all-action style of Kyoguchi and the guts shown by Bermudez made it a compelling spectacle for the 23 minutes it lasted.
Overall, the fight was fairly one sided despite the champion having two points taken off him for use of the head and shots behind the head in rounds six and seven.
It was a rapid fire start by Kyoguchi who before long got his famed uppercuts working and in the early stages Bermudez had already suffered a cut to the left eye and a bloodied nose.
The sight of the Mexican would be an everlasting memory for those inside the Domo Alcalde. Their countryman’s face continued to get battered and his tanned complexion turned red and at times he resembled the victim in a horror film.
Kyoguchi was too fast, too accurate and unrelenting but Bermudez would not yield. He tried to turn the fight in his favour by getting to the door of the champion and pounding away but Kyoguchi was happy to open up and return with his own level of violence.
Bermudez also had a cut to the forehead to contend with, but the impression was his scalp could have an axe sticking out of it and he wouldn’t stop fighting.
Uppercuts, overhand rights, jabs, and the rest of Kyoguchi’s firepower continued to rain down on Bermudez. At the beginning of round eight the Japanese star got the Mexican on the ropes and unleashed everything needed to end the fight.
Whatever had been left in the well of Bermudez was drained out in 30 seconds by the assault from Kyoguchi. Referee Roberto Ramirez Jr had witnessed enough.
The fight was over. Watch the final moments below courtesy of DAZN Boxing on twitter:
Kyoguchi shows no mercy 🧨#KyoguchiBermudezpic.twitter.com/papgj0RrGG
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 11, 2022
At the time of the stoppage Kyoguchi was ahead 66-65 on two scorecards while judge Mike Fitzgerald had Bermudez in front by the same scoreline.
The champion extends his unbeaten record to 16-0 (11 KOs). Bermudez moves to 14-4-2 (10 KOs).
Speaking afterwards the winner said:
“I have always wanted to fight in Mexico with the great fans here and I am so glad that I did.”
“It’s a great win and I am ready for the next step. There are many others champions in the division, and I want to fight them.”