A somber night at Tokyo's iconic Korakuen Hall turned tragic on August 2 when 28-year-old Shigetoshi Kotari collapsed shortly after a grueling 12-round draw against OPBF junior lightweight champ Yamato Hata. He was rushed into emergency brain surgery for a subdural hematoma but, despite efforts, passed away on Friday.
Just a day later, fans and fighters mourned again as 28-year-old Hiromasa Urakawa suffered a similar injury in a knockout loss to Yoji Saito. After undergoing a craniotomy, Urakawa also succumbed to his injuries, marking two devastating losses in one event.
😢 The World Boxing Organization expressed its condolences: "The boxing world mourns the tragic passing of Japanese fighters Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa. Our deepest thoughts are with their families and the entire Japanese boxing community during this difficult time."
In light of these tragedies, the Japanese Boxing Commission announced a change to OPBF title bouts, reducing them from 12 to 10 rounds to enhance fighter safety moving forward.
For many young boxing fans and aspiring athletes, this double tragedy is a stark reminder of the sport’s risks and the ongoing need for improved safety measures. 🥊💔
Reference(s):
Two Japanese boxers die from brain injuries in separate bouts
cgtn.com
