Champion Mizuki Hiruta (Misako), who returned home after successfully defending her WBO Women’s Super Flyweight World Title for the seventh time at a bout held last month (May 23) near the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 18th to report her victory to the media. “What I want most right now is a unification bout,” she said, revealing her next ambition.
エジプトでの防衛戦勝利を報告した晝田
Hiruta competed in the “The Ring” event in Egypt, organized by Turki Al-Sheikh, head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. This marked the first time a female boxer had been selected for the series. In a special ring set up in front of the Great Pyramids, Hiruta faced challenger Mai Soliman (Egypt/Australia) and secured a decisive points victory with a confident performance.
Hiruta (30), who is aiming to become a women’s superstar and has been competing primarily in California, is steadily moving toward her dream. Although she hasn’t fought in Japan since January 2024, she said that fighting in Egypt for the first time was “an experience I’ll never forget.”
One such experience was fighting amid swirling wind and sand, as well as the loud boos directed at her. Her corner warned her, “Don’t open your mouth under any circumstances,” so she couldn’t even smile. Although challenger Soliman’s current nationality is Australian, she was born in Cairo, so while Hiruta was prepared for an away fight, she was surprised by the intensity of the booing, which was far greater than she had anticipated. “Since it was an away fight, I knew I absolutely had to win decisively,” she said, reflecting on her state of mind at the time.
However, she secured an undisputed decision victory over Soliman. Several big names were watching from ringside, and she was deeply moved when one of them, Gennady Golovkin, praised her, saying, “You put on a great fight. How smart you are!”
Her next fight has not yet been decided, but she is eager for a unification bout against a champion from another organization. She has also frequently heard the name of Gabriela Hundra (USA), the popular women’s world champion in the flyweight division—one weight class below her own—and is aware of the anticipation surrounding a potential matchup. As her own profile gradually rises, Hiruta admitted that she feels “my mind hasn’t quite caught up yet.” “I wish I could fight with more confidence in myself,” she said.
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