Ryota Murata vs Rob Brant

An output of 1,262 punches carried an unfancied challenger to the WBA’s secondary middleweight championship and interrupted plans for a major contest in Japan. Rob Brant defeated Ryota Murata by unanimous decision over twelve rounds at the Park Theater, Park MGM, Las Vegas, on 20 October 2018, before an announced attendance of 2,782. Murata was making his second defence, but the challenger’s speed, combinations and sustained activity prevented him from establishing control. What had been expected to be another successful assignment for the Japanese champion became a clear defeat, with Brant maintaining his advantage through the closing rounds.

Murata, 32, entered with fourteen wins, one defeat and eleven knockouts. The 2012 Olympic middleweight gold medallist had recovered from a disputed points loss to Hassan N’Dam by stopping him in their October 2017 rematch, then retained the championship against Emanuele Blandamura in April 2018. His handlers were considering a meeting with Gennady Golovkin in Japan, but Brant first had to be overcome. The American, 28, brought a record of 23 wins and one defeat, with sixteen knockouts. His sole loss had come against Jürgen Brähmer after moving up to super-middleweight for the World Boxing Super Series. Back at his customary weight, he presented a different proposition. The Nevada commission recorded Murata’s weight as 159.2lb and Brant’s as 158.4lb. Vic Drakulich refereed the contest.

Brant began immediately behind his jab, adding straight rights, hooks and an effective right uppercut in the opening round. Murata advanced with his gloves high but offered comparatively little until the closing minute. The second followed much the same pattern: Brant struck in combinations and moved before the champion could answer. Murata improved in the third, landing firm rights and left hooks to the body, although swelling was already appearing beneath his right eye. Brant resumed his more effective movement in the fourth, repeatedly finding openings with the jab despite several heavier replies late in the round. Murata’s straight right brought further success in the fifth, but he could not make those isolated blows the basis of sustained command.

The tactical difficulty for Murata remained consistent. His forward movement brought him within range, but Brant’s quicker hands allowed the challenger to score first and frequently score again before withdrawing. Murata possessed the heavier individual punch, yet his attempts to deliver it were too readily anticipated. Brant combined his work rate with enough movement to prevent the champion from setting himself comfortably. The contest was therefore more than a comparison of punch totals. The challenger controlled the intervals between exchanges, while Murata spent too much time pursuing an opponent who had already completed his attack. Even when Murata landed, Brant usually answered rather than allowing the champion to build momentum.

Brant recovered control in the sixth. Murata landed substantial rights in the seventh, but the challenger rallied with quick counters. In the eighth, Brant’s movement again left Murata following him and punching after the opportunity had passed; swelling was visible around both eyes. Through the ninth and tenth, Murata continued looking for his right hand while Brant answered with combinations. The American remained busy in the eleventh and finished the twelfth strongly, landing hard punches as both men tired. Murata continued to compete, but his late efforts did not reverse the direction of the fight. His face showed the accumulated effects of the challenger’s accuracy, and his nose was bloodied.

The decision was unanimous and emphatic. Burt Clements and Eric Cheek each scored the contest 119–109 for Brant, while Tim Cheatham returned 118–110. Brant improved to 24–1, with sixteen knockouts, and Murata fell to 14–2, with eleven. CompuBox credited the new champion with 356 landed punches from 1,262 attempts, against Murata’s 180 from 774. Those figures reflected the principal distinction throughout the evening: Murata had occasional success with his stronger single shots, but Brant supplied the more frequent and sustained scoring. Afterwards, Murata acknowledged that the challenger had anticipated his right hand and proved quicker than expected. Brant had earned the championship through a demanding pace he maintained for the full twelve rounds, leaving little uncertainty about the verdict.

I give Brant full credit here. Murata kept marching forward behind a high guard, but his feet weren’t getting him into position quickly enough. Brant jabbed, put combinations together and moved before the heavier right could follow. Murata landed some decent shots, but he couldn’t sustain an attack.

Murata’s Olympic gold and title-winning rematch against N’Dam had made him a major attraction in Japan. There was talk of Golovkin next. Brant, meanwhile, had disappointed against Brähmer at super-middleweight. I reckon too much weight was put on that defeat when judging his chances back at middleweight.

Throwing 1,262 punches takes a serious engine, but I’m more impressed by how Brant used them. He kept interrupting Murata’s preparations and making him reset. This was a clear, deserved points win. Murata was tough throughout, but his approach was too predictable.