Erika Kamimura Wins 2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-CupThe “Strongest Female High School Student” reigns supreme. Tonight at Shibuya-AX in Tokyo, Japan, Erika Kamimura outlasted three opponents to win the 2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup tournament. The 18-year-old edged out kickboxer and MMA standout Seo Hee Ham in the finals of the event.

In other action, two-time Girls S-Cup champion Rena Kubota defeated “Muay Thai Idol” Zaza Sor Aree by second-round knockout and will rematch Kamimura at a November 23rd RISE event. Kubota’s 16-year-old protégé, Mio Tsumura, made her pro debut and defeated Yoko “Iron Beauty” Yamada.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Final

“The Strongest Female High School Student” Erika Kamimura vs Seo Hee Ham

Round 1:
Ham opened the fight aggressively with a body kick and Kamimura answered back with a jumping left hook. She landed another left soon after and trapped Ham in a standing arm-triangle choke. The submission was tight and the referee called for a catch, which awarded Kamimura with a point. The fighters traded punches for much of the rest of the round, with both landing left and right hooks.

Round 2:
Kamimura looked to replicate her success from the opening round with another standing arm-triangle choke in round two after Ham threw a left hook, but Ham reversed and scored a high-arc throw for a shoot point. Kamimura returned to her feet, but Ham impressively threw her down to the mat a second time to earn another point. She looked for a third throw before the end of the round, but Kamimura defended.

Round 3:
With Ham seemingly ahead on the scorecards as the fight entered the final round, the fighters traded kicks and Kamimura landed a left hook. She defended against a throw attempt and dropped Ham with a right cross, left hook combo. Ham stood after the knockdown and was aggressive with punches in the final minute as she tried to steal back the round. Both fighters scored with punches and body kicks to close out the fight.

The judges were unanimous in their verdict and Kamimura emerged victorious with a razor-thin but Unanimous Decision due to the third-round knockdown.

Following the fight, it was announced that Kamimura would rematch Rena Kubota on November 23rd at a RISE event in Tokyo. Kamimura handily defeated Kubota in an exhibition match in April, but the bout was not scored. The November matchup will be contested under full rules and will not be an exhibition.

Winner: Erika Kamimura by Unanimous Decision (28-26, 28-27, 28-27) after three rounds. She becomes the 2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Champion.

 

Non-Tournament Bout:

Rena Kubota vs “The Muay Thai Idol” Zaza Sor Aree

Round 1:
Sor Aree landed body kicks to start the fight, but Kubota quickly countered with a high-arc throw for a shoot point. Back on the feet, Kubota avoided a body kick and a right hook, then trapped Sor Aree in a tight standing arm-triangle choke for another point. Sor Aree eventually escaped by using knees, but was unable to land anything damaging before the bell.

Round 2:
The second round was action-packed early on as both fighters scored with punches and kicks to the body. Sor Aree looked for a throw, but Kubota landed a front kick to the face and followed with a left hook to the liver. Sor Aree collapsed to the canvas and was unable to answer a count, giving Kubota a big victory in what was rumoured to be her retirement bout had she lost.

Winner: Rena Kubota by KO (Punch To The Body) at 2:10 of round two.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Semi-Final #2

Seo Hee Ham vs Mina

Round 1:
Ham landed left hooks and kicks to the head and body in the first round and Mina answered back with a one-two and a right cross. The fighters continued to trade power punches and Mina looked to establish her jab. Ham remained the aggressor with punching combinations and mixed in kicks to the upper body before the end of the round.

Round 2:
Ham opened round two with more kicks and followed with a left cross, but Mina scored with a counter right and jabs that stopped Ham’s momentum. Ham threw a left hook, but Mina continued to score with punches, including a solid right cross. Both fighters landed kicks and Mina targeted the body with a left hook as the middle stanza came to a close.

Round 3:
Mina landed a right cross and a combination in the final round, but Ham responded with a variety of kicks. More kicks were exchanged and Ham continued to target the left side of Mina’s body. Mina threw a right hook and was countered by a kick. Ham landed a left hook, but Mina rushed in with a barrage of strikes late in the round.

One judge ruled the bout a Draw, while the remaining two awarded the close fight to Ham, who advanced on to the finals with the win.

Winner: Seo Hee Ham by Majority Decision (30-29, 29-28, 29-29) after three rounds.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Semi-Final #1

“The Strongest Female High School Student” Erika Kamimura vs Miyo Yoshida

Round 1:
Yoshida opened the first round with a one-two, but was dropped by a counter left hook. Yoshida stood and Kamimura landed more left hands. Yoshida looked to clinch for a throw, but was unable to get it and the fighters were separated. Kamimura jabbed and landed another left hook that dropped Yoshida for the second time, giving Kamimura the victory due to the two-knockdown rule.

Winner: Erika Kamimura by TKO (Left Hook [Two Knockdowns]) at 0:50 of round one.

 

Non-Tournament Bout

Hiroko Yamanaka vs Megumi Yabushita

Round 1:
Yabushita, who replaced Yamanaka’s original opponent on one day’s notice, looked to jab early on and Yamanaka replied with a right cross. Yabushita clinched for an attempted throw, but Yamanaka reversed. She landed knees and stayed low to defend against Yabushita’s throw attempts. Yabushita threw front kicks and Yamanaka landed a one-two as the round came to a close.

Round 2:
Yamanaka jabbed in round two and fought off Yabushita’s attempts to close the distance. More jabs landed for Yamanaka, but Yabushita replied with a quick combination and a leg kick. Yamanaka stuck to her jab and scored with a one-two as Yabushita appeared to have injured her right knee. The round ended with a flurry of punches from Yamanaka and Yabushita collapsed to the mat between rounds.

Round 3:
Despite an obvious injury, the bell sounded to begin the final round, but time was quickly called and the ringside doctor came in to check on Yabushita. She was deemed unable to continue due to what was believed to be ligament damage in her right knee, giving Yamanaka the TKO victory.

Winner: Hiroko Yamanaka by TKO (Doctor Stoppage [Knee Injury]) at 0:03 of round three.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Quarterfinal #4

Seo Hee Ham vs Emi “The Kamikaze Angel” Fujino

Round 1:
Fujino opened the fight with a one-two, but Ham tagged her with a counter left hook and followed with a left cross. Ham continued to effectively counter Fujino’s punches with hooks and straight left hands from the outside. Fujino began to throw looping hooks and landed a right cross, but Ham fired back with punches of her own.

Round 2:
The fighters traded punches early in the second round and Ham landed a left cross and a right hook that bloodied Fujino’s nose. Time was called for the ringside doctors to check on her, but action resumed and Fujino attempted a guillotine choke. Ham defended against the ropes and the fighters were separated. Ham scored with punches and body kicks and Fujino landed a knee. More punches were exchanged late in the round.

Round 3:
Ham opened the final round with a flying kick to the body and Fujino answered with a one-two. Ham began to score with knees and landed a left hook. Fujino threw knees of her own as the fighters battled in close. More knees followed and Ham connected with a solid left hook as the final round ended.

One judge ruled the bout a Draw, while the remaining two scored it in favour of Ham, who advanced on to the semi-finals.

Winner: Seo Hee Ham by Majority Decision (30-28, 30-29, 30-30) after three rounds.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Quarterfinal #3

Mina vs “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi

Round 1:
Mina attacked with left hooks and right crosses in the early stages of the fight, but Yamaguchi blocked well and threw counter strikes at the end of Mina’s combinations. She looked to clinch, but Mina defended and landed a one-two. Yamaguchi gamely fired back with punches, but Mina landed a knee and a left hook late in the round.

Round 2:
Mina landed a hard left hook and another right cross in round two, then followed with a flying knee. Yamaguchi landed a right hook and tried for a throw, but Mina fought her off and landed punches in succession. The fighters traded punches and Yamaguchi landed a jab. Mina answered with a knee to the body.

Round 3:
Yamaguchi looked to begin the final round aggressively, but Mina landed left and right hooks. She tried for a choke, but was unable to secure it and the referee broke the fighters apart. Mina landed a left hook and a knee, but Yamaguchi replied with a right cross. The fighters continued to trade punches and Mina defended against a Yamaguchi throw attempt before the bell.

One judge ruled the bout a Draw, while the remaining two scored it in favour of Mina, who advanced on to the semi-finals.

Winner: Mina by Majority Decision (30-29, 29-28, 30-30) after three rounds.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Quarterfinal #2

Miyo Yoshida vs “Windy” Tomomi Sunaba

Round 1:
Sunaba jabbed and targeted the body with punches in the opening round. Yoshida answered with jabs of her own and Sunaba landed leg kicks. As Yoshida stuck to her jab, Sunaba looked to set up right hands and both fighters landed punches late in the close round.

Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of kicks and Yoshida landed more jabs. Both fighters scored with leg and body kicks and Yoshida broke out of a clinch with right hands. She abandoned her jab in favour of power punches and began to have success. Sunaba landed a right cross, but Yoshida kept her at bay with punches to the head and body.

Round 3:
Both fighters landed jabs and right hands in the final round, as they stood in front of each other and traded strikes. Yoshida began to land effective jabs that kept Sunaba at bay and she followed with a left hook, but Sunaba landed one of her own and a right hook soon after. She landed a knee and tried to clinch, but Yoshida escaped and landed a one-two. Sunaba countered with two punches of her own and Yoshida landed a nice right hook.

The close and competitive fight went to the scorecards. One judge ruled the bout even, while two narrowly gave it to Yoshida, who advanced on to the semi-finals.

Winner: Miyo Yoshida by Majority Decision (30-29, 30-29, 30-30) after three rounds.

 

2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Japan Quarterfinal #1

“The Strongest Female High School Student” Erika Kamimura vs Kanako Oka

Round 1:
Oka landed a right hook and a body kick, then tried to clinch for a throw. Kamimura defended and landed a solid left hook. She followed with stiff jabs as Oka tried to clinch again. Oka was unsuccessful and Kamimura continued to score with jabs and quick punches. Kamimura landed knees and left hooks as Oka tried to establish her jab, and she closed out the round strong with right hands.

Round 2:
Kamimura fought through Oka’s jabs and leg kicks in round two and backed her up with a barrage of punches. She followed with more big punches as the elder Oka retreated to the ropes and the referee intervened to stop the one-sided fight.

Winner: Erika Kamimura by TKO (Punches) at 0:31 of round two.

 

Non-Tournament Bout

Mio Tsumura vs Yoko “Iron Beauty” Yamada

Round 1:
Tsumura, sporting her mentor Kubota’s ring attire, countered Yamada’s early punches with body kicks. Yamada clinched and secured a headlock, then threw Tsumura to the mat. The throw was not high enough to earn a shoot point and Yamada did not release her grip on Tsumura’s head on the ground. The referee stood the fighters up and gave Yamada a red card for the infraction.

The fight resumed and Tsumura landed body kicks. Yamada answered with a right cross, but Tsumura landed a one-two. Yamada clinched and tried for another throw. The referee intervened and attempted to separate the fighters, but Yamada once again disobeyed his instructions. She was given another red card and disqualified, giving Tsumura a disappointing win in her pro debut.

Winner: Mio Tsumura by DQ (Fouls) at 1:52 of round one.

 

 

(Photo Credit: GBRing.com)