London – It’s showtime in the capital of England, with Takara “Love Muffin” Oshima and Summer “Crusher” Simpson set to square off at the Copper Box Arena.
Takara’s story is well known here. She earned a brilliant knockout win against Akane Watanabe earlier this year, and had to mend fences with her friend since that fight made her lose her Japanese citizenship to take the German one.
Between those events, Takara moved to London, joined Final Bell Boxing and hired the great Clifford Little as a coach.
Today, Takara is ranked number 6 in the Lightweight division and she looks very dangerous. She has a perfect record of 13 wins, no loss, and 10 victories by way of knockout.
Her opponent is Summer Simpson, from the United States. A friend of Chelsea Carter, the pressure fighter is ranked 12th in the division with a record of 8 wins (5 KO) and one loss.
How does it go? Let’s find out.
No warning
The Love Muffin has a bright start. She doesn’t mind letting Summer decide where the fight takes place, with the intention of imposing how it takes place. She is confident that her intelligence and that the explosiveness inside her red gloves will make the difference in this contest.
Round 1 goes well for Takara. She reads the pressure fighter’s attacking game and hits her with straight shots. Nothing huge, but it’s a solid display of her ability to throw fast, powerful punches without a warning. Crusher has a solid chin, though, and she shakes off the pain.
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Takara keeps this up in the second engagement, with a twist. She responds to aggression with penetrating counterattacks that include taking the body. Summer Simpson is a decent puncher who never backs down, but she doesn’t have the pure speed of her Japanese opponent. She is on the receiving end of well-thrown bangers. Without mash.
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Never undestimate the heart of a pressure fighter, though. Summer flips the script in Round 3. She drops back, circles and dares Takara to give her red leather. Crusher enjoys great success for two minutes, scoring with clean, effective punching while making Love Muffin fall short.
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Tough talk is welcome
At the break, Clifford Little is pissed.
Clifford: “Bloody hell! What the fuck were you doing in there? Going for baits? That’s not what I expect from my fighters and you better take back control in Round 4. Fight smart, manage your space and make her walk into your shots.”
Takara responds to tough talk with enthusiasm. While some would be upset by the scolding, she welcomes the toughness of the best coach in England. She moves left, right, back and forth with excitement, staying on her toes and throwing fast combinations. It’s raining muffins on Summer, who sees dark clouds covering the arena’s ceiling.
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Encouraged to continue the fast, hard-hitting action at the break, Takara enjoys a very one-sided first minute in Round 5. Red leather is flying all over the place. The American is taking hard, clean shots and firing back but struggling to put ice blue leather on her opponent.
At 1:13, she looks to unload a right hand, but a massive left hook crashes against her cheek. The speed and power differential couldn’t be more obvious.
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Rebecca speaks
German referee Rebecca Linden isn’t the type who will let summer take a beating for too long. She steps in, shoves Takara away and stops the fight.
The American is very disappointed, but she doesn’t protest. “I failed. Wasn’t good enough.”
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There we have it: it’s a technical knockout. Takara Oshima’s perfect record beefs up with a 14th win and 11th KO. The unstoppable Japanese has already adapted to the commands of a coach who wants her to be more methodical than in the past, and she looks more dangerous than ever.
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Takara thinks: “What a win. I want a title shot as soon as possible.”
Chelsea’s friend Summer Simpson is a good boxer, and she’s very cute! Luckily Rebecca stopped the fight when she did. A few more rounds with Takara, and she wouldn’t have looked so cute after receiving a serious makeover, courtesy of Takara’s gloved fists!
You gotta hit back in boxing, or a tough ref will get in between the fighters and call it a day. That’s Rebecca. Summer’s face is saved, and someone may crack the Top 5.
It’s raining delicious muffins! Well, maybe not for Summer.
This is, ultimately, a fairly one sided affair, as you get the sense that Takara is a level above Summer, who fights gamely but appears outclassed. The third round appears to flip the script a little as Summer does get the better of Takara.
And then…Clifford Little reads Takara the riot act, making it clear in no uncertain terms that he expects better from his charge. And Takara responds.
By mid way through the 5th, Takara lands a massive left hook and Rebecca Linden had seen enough. It’s a stoppage that might have be a bit premature, but Rebecca is a referee that won’t let things slide downhill too quickly.
Summer fails, but doesn’t protest. You get the sense that maybe she’s a bit relieved that she’s being spared a further beating.
Takara is on the way up indeed. Her 6th ranking will surely improve and with the backing from Final Bell, a title challenge cannot be too far away for the dangerous puncher.
The matter of a title shot is a realistic one by now. Takara has beaten serious opponents and she has been impressive in the ring. With the right promoter and coach, achievement is a word she could very well spell.
Creator’s notes
Now that she is in Europe and that she settled matters with Sophie, it’s time for Takara to shine in the ring. I rarely make someone’s record undefeated with so many fights, but the Japanese woman is a fearsome and fearless warrior that will be difficult to defeat. It may take something special.
We know that she can handle a pressure fighter, as she did despite suffering a knockdown against Akane Watanabe. Summer Simpson proves to be game in this encounter, but there’s something new here. Takara’s new coach is a legend who has no patience for BS. He wants a clear win, he wants it now, and she responds with spirit.
When she turns on the jets, Summer can’t match the effort. Courage and toughness aren’t enough when the opponent’s skills are a couple of notches above yours. When a disciplinarian of a referee is in that same ring, you know that the stoppage is coming.
So, Takara proves herself to be one of the finest Lightweight fighters, and she is a threat to a champion I will reveal at some point.
There’s a storm is coming, and it’s raining muffins! Red hot painful but probably delicious muffins! XD
I’m glad that Takara cleared up the drama between herself and Akane and the two are now on good terms! And now we see her back in the ring and she is still very dangerous and undefeated.
Takara showed she’s not to be messed with in the ring, Summer was a good challenge, she did last 5 rounds but most of the fight was pretty one sided so it was best for the ref to stop the fight.
Takara is going places in the boxing world, it’s gonna take someone just as skilled as her to take her down, but who knows maybe she’ll stay undefeated:)
Takara’s muffins are delicious but for some reason, Summer wasn’t a fan!
Takara is certainly moving up and up, and probably in world title contender territory. Haven’t made a clear plan yet, but I believe that the current champion will pay attention.