Boxing on the exiting Maidana-Morales card in Las Vegas, 35-year-old Nobuhiro Ishida of Japan scored a huge upset as he blew away the previously unbeaten and highly touted James Kirkland inside a round. The former interim WBA light-middleweight champion, noticeably taller than the 27-year-old southpaw, never gave the man from Texas a chance to get into the fight. Having his third fight since being released from prison, Kirkland was intent on destroying his man. Charging out at the sound of the bell, the reckless-looking “Mandingo Warrior” was caught by a short left hand to the chin and down he went, badly hurt. Up quite quickly, Kirkland tried to fire his own bombs back but he was soon hit and hurt and dropped again. Smashed into a corner by another left hand to the head, Kirkland was given another count by ref Joe Cortez. Again trying to fire back at Ishida, Kirkland did land a hard shot of his own, before he was put down flat on his back by a big, left/right combo to the jaw. This time Cortez waved the fight off immediately. The time was just one minute and 52-seconds. Ishida, who has never been stopped, is now 23-6-2(8). Kirkland is now 27-1(24). Read more: http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=27667&more=1
