A devastating incident has shaken the Japanese boxing community, with two boxers losing their lives due to brain injuries sustained during a single ev
A devastating incident has shaken the Japanese boxing community, with two boxers losing their lives due to brain injuries sustained during a single event in Tokyo.
Hiromasa Urakawa, 28, died over the weekend after suffering a knockout in the eighth round of his fight with Yoji Saito on August 2.
This tragedy follows the death of Shigetoshi Kotari, who succumbed to injuries from a separate bout on the same card at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Cause of Death
Both boxers underwent surgery for subdural hematoma, a condition where blood collects between the skull and the brain.
The World Boxing Organisation (WBO) expressed its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and the Japanese boxing community, mourning the passing of these talented athletes.
Investigation And Changes
The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) has launched an investigation into the incidents and plans to hold a meeting in September to discuss the deaths.
As a precautionary measure, the JBC has announced that all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title bouts will now be 10 rounds instead of 12.
This tragic event marks the fourt high-profile boxing death in 2025, following the passing of Irish boxer John Cooney in February after a fight in Belfast and Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju who died in Ghana in March, 2025.
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