The official scorecards from the Van vs Taira flyweight title fight have been disclosed. Two judges had Van ahead entering the fifth round, while one judge scored it 2-2 through four rounds. Van ultimately finished Taira in round five to retain his championship. The scorecard breakdown indicates that Taira remained competitive through the early rounds despite the eventual stoppage finish. This information provides context for how close the fight was before the final round conclusion.
The official scorecards from Joshua Van's flyweight title defense against Tatsuro Taira have been released, shedding light on just how competitive the bout was before its fifth-round finish.
Van, nicknamed "The Fearless," entered the fight as the reigning flyweight champion carrying a 17-2 record. The 24-year-old from Myanmar, who trains out of 4oz. Fight Club, is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. He ultimately stopped Taira in the fifth round to retain his championship, but the scorecards reveal the path there was far from straightforward.
Two of the three judges had Van ahead entering the fifth round, while the third judge saw it level at two rounds apiece through four. The breakdown confirms that Taira, despite the stoppage loss, made it a genuinely close contest across the opening rounds.
Taira, ranked fifth in the flyweight division, came in with an 18-2 record and presented a distinct stylistic challenge. The 26-year-old Japanese fighter trains with The Blackbelt Japan and brings a persistent grappling threat, averaging 3.12 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.6 submission attempts in the same span. At five-foot-seven with a 70-inch reach, he also holds physical advantages over Van in both height and reach.
Why it matters
- The split scoring through four rounds underlines how narrow the margin was before the finish, raising the prospect of a rematch conversation
- Taira's grappling output and competitive early rounds reinforce his standing as a legitimate divisional threat despite the 18-2 record now absorbing a second loss
- Van's ability to turn a contested fight into a stoppage victory demonstrates his finishing instincts and keeps his championship reign intact
