MIZUKI wins squeaker over Ai Takahashi at SHOOT BOXING

MIZUKI punches Ai Takahashi

Despite its seeming popularity, I hate two things about the SHOOT BOXING product. One is that no one, including those who like the product, understands the rules. The second is meddling refs who won't let the fighters fight and judges who seem incapable of making a clear decision. If the fight is a draw, it goes extra rounds until there is a clear decision. I don't like the extra rounds. It leaves things open to corruption and Sometimes the fights seem fixed. This happens way too much. At today's Korakuen Hall SHOOT BOXING show, that kind of scenario was presented to fans again. SHOOT BOXING Flyweight Champ Ai Takahashi returned from injury to face teen kickboxer MIZUKI. One would think Takahashi would take advantage of her height and reach edge. But MIZUKI landed some good body shots. The fight was very close and one judge scored it 30-29 for MIZUKI and the other two scored it 30-30 and 29-29. A majority draw goes an extra round. Fortunately, MIZUKI won the extra round by unanimous decision so she didn't get screwed out of a win. It puts her in the SHOOT BOXING mix and Takahashi is still in that mix too. MIZUKI should have got the win anyway. In another women's match, RENA's sister MIO won over J-Girls kickboxer Tsubaki Oshima by majority decision. One judge scored it 29-29 and the other two scored it 30-29 for MIO. The bottom line is that indecisive judging makes it look like the fights are fixed. Maybe the judges don't know the rules either.