OBPF Reduces Title Bouts to 10 Rounds After Another Boxer on Tokyo Card, Lightweight Hiromasa Urukawa, Dies of Brain Injury at 28
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Tokyo, Japan (August 8th, 2025)– In a bout which was an eliminator for the Japanese 135 pounds lightweight national title, while winning the bout on points, Hiromasa Urukawa, 10-4 with seven knockouts, Tokyo, Japan, suddenly got knocked out at two minutes and 12 seconds of the eighth round by Yoji Saito, 9-4-2 with nine knockouts, Tokyo, Japan, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo in August 2, 2025. Hospitalized with a brain injury and requiring surgery, Urukawa lost consciousness and never recovered.
Urakawa was “urgently transported to a hospital in Tokyo and diagnosed with an acute subdural hematoma (and is) undergoing emergency craniotomy surgery,” the Japanese Boxing Commission wrote in its post-fight incident report.
Uwakawa’s death comes one day after another boxer on the same card dies in similar circumstances, lightweight Shigetoshi Kotari, who also lost consciousness after getting knocked out and underwent an emergency craniotomy as well.
Kotari, 8-2-2 with five knockouts, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, fell unconscious with a brain bleed after fighting to a 12-round split draw with OPBF champion Yamato Kata, 17-2-1 with 16 knockouts, Tokyo, Japan, in the main event. The Japan Boxing Commission wrote in a press release Kotari had received a craniotomy, a brain surgery that removes part of the skull in order to relieve pressure on or treat a brain injury at the hospital after the bout. Unfortunately, Kotari did not recover, and passed away on August 8, 2025.
With two boxers passing away on the same card within 24 hours of each other, the World Boxing Organisation issued this official statement. “The WBO mourns the passing of Japanese boxer Hiromasa Urakawa, who tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during his fight against Yoji Saito on August 2 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo,” the WBO said in a statement. “This heartbreaking news comes just days after the passing of Shigetoshi Kotari, who died from injuries suffered in his fight on the same card. We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and the Japanese boxing community during this incredibly difficult time.”
World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman stated “The boxing world is in shock and deep sorrow for the tragic deaths of (these) two boxers who fought in the same card in Japan. May they rest in peace and their inspiration serve to all to work on finding ways to protect our boxers of the world.”
In the aftermath of the deaths of both Kotari and Urukawa, the Japanese Boxing Commission has announced all future Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation OPBF title bouts would be reduced from scheduled 12-round fights to 10-rounders only.
COMMENTS
English