Is Nicholas Walters next for Takashi Uchiyama?

By Boxing News - 01/01/2016 - Comments

walters45By Paul Lam: As expected, reigning WBA Super Featherweight Champion, Takashi Uchiyama, made short work of overmatched challenger, WBA number 6 Oliver Flores in his customary New Year’s Eve title defence. After an initial feeling out phase, Uchiyama started to connect with hard, accurate punches and, by the end of the second round, Flores was already marked up.

In the third round, Uchiyama sent Flores to the canvas with a wicked liver shot. Referee Luis Pabon dispensed with the count at 7 seconds, as it was clear that Flores was not getting up and he remained on the canvas for a few minutes before recovering sufficiently to get back on his feet.

Uchiyama’s eleventh successful defence of his title paves the way for a stateside clash against former WBA Featherweight Champion Nicholas ‘The Axe Man’ Walters. According to Walters’ promoter, Bob Arum, a deal was made, before the Jamaican knockout artist’s December fight against Jason Sosa, to fight Uchiyama in the first half of 2016. He has since affirmed that this is still the plan despite the Sosa clash being judged a bizarre split decision draw when it seemed in the eyes of almost all observers that Walters won nearly every round. For his part, Uchiyama has stated that no contract has yet been signed, but that he is very happy to travel to the United States to defend against Walters.

It’s a potentially exciting matchup between two undefeated power punchers who bring skills and high-level experience to the table. Both have also shown signs of vulnerability in the past and are lacking a true signature win. For Walters, it will be the chance to become a two-weight world champion against the division’s undisputed king and silence the critics who still feel he has not proved himself to be an elite fighter For Uchiyama, it will be the chance to gain the recognition and respect which he lacks in the West. He knows that, at thirty-six years of age, time is running out for him in the sport. Mismatches like the Flores’ fight do nothing to enhance his standing in the boxing world.

Walters is the quicker and more athletic man and probably the superior technician. He demonstrated a variety of skills against Nonito Donaire, Miguel Marriaga and Sosa; using his height, reach and jab to control distance and set up his power punches with maximum leverage; vicious guard-splitting uppercuts from the inside and a sustained, energy-sapping body attack. Uchiyama is not without boxing skills, but he is unquestionably more of a puncher; a punishing and extremely accurate one at that. He can knock you out with a single shot to the head or body or can wear you down with a barrage of punches. Once he has an opponent in trouble, he will go for the jugular and finish him. He also has terrific conditioning and stamina and comes on strong in the late rounds in which some of his most notable knockout victories have occurred.

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Both men have displayed generally reliable chins throughout their careers though both have been knocked down and hurt several times before. Walters was badly wobbled by a Donaire left hook in the second round of their fight and was possibly lucky to be saved by the bell. He didn’t display any ill effects coming out for the following round and went on to dominate and knock out the ‘Filipino Flash’ in the sixth round. Against Takashi Miura and Daiki Kaneko, Uchiyama was dropped with hard single shots. In both instances he demonstrated composure and good powers of recovery, storming back to stop Miura and hammer Kaneko en route to a comfortable points victory.

The biggest names on Walters’ resume are Vic Darchinyan and Donaire, two past-their-best former flyweights. Throughout his featherweight career, Walters benefited from being the much bigger man. For his fight against Marriaga, in which he lost his title on the scales after failing to make the 126 lb limit, he rehydrated all the way up to 145 lbs, entering the ring as a functional welterweight. Incidentally, he was unable to put away Marriaga despite the noticeable size difference in the ring. He also landed plenty of leather on Sosa but was unable to stop him from coming forward all night. At 130 lbs, it appears that Walters still has decent power, but not of the ‘lights out’ variety which he previously displayed at featherweight. Uchiyama has campaigned at 130 lbs for years and it’s unlikely that Walters’ power is going to come as a major shock to him. On the other hand, Uchiyama will be indisputably the biggest puncher that Walters has ever faced.

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If the fight comes to fruition, it figures to be a competitive contest and I wouldn’t be surprised to see both men hurt and hitting the canvas at various points. It could go either way, but my money is on the long-reigning champion and established fighter at the weight to successfully defend his title. Walters will be the toughest challenger Uchiyama has faced in some time. But in Uchiyama, Walters will be facing the toughest opponent of his career; someone for the first time that matches him in size and strength and possesses power which he has never felt before. None of Walters’ opponents to date has demonstrated the ability to get inside and hammer away at his willowy torso which may prove susceptible to Uchiyama; a devastating body puncher. Unless Uchiyama grows old overnight, which is always a distinct possibility, I see him gradually breaking down Walters and stopping him late in a war of attrition.

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A loss for Walters would be a setback but not the end of his career. He is approaching his prime and, even in defeat, could still emerge with his reputation enhanced if he delivers a strong showing. A loss for Uchiyama, the older man by seven years, would be more damaging to him. However, provided he gets past Walters, juicy unification fights against Francisco Vargas, Javier Fortuna and the winners of the Roman Martinez-Orlando Salido and Jose Pedraza-Stephen Smith bouts await him.



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