Yuzuki Sato
, the eldest daughter of IBF world flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (Midori), captured the women’s light-flyweight title at the Aichi High School Athletic Meet held on 23 and 24 May. Yabuki, who is scheduled to make the second defence of his world title on 6 June, expressed his delight at his daughter’s success, stating that her achievement has provided him with significant motivation.
長女の夢月㊧と優勝を喜ぶ矢吹 （矢吹正道提供写真）
Yuzuki, who has been trained by Yabuki since early childhood and was a regular winner in the Junior Champions League (JCL), enrolled at Wakamiya Commercial High School in Aichi Prefecture this spring. This tournament marked her debut as a high school competitor, and she secured first-round RSC victories in both the semi-final on 23 May and the final on 24 May.
Yabuki himself enters the final stages of preparation to defend against Rene Calixto (Mexico), following promoter Koki Kameda’s announcement on 25 May that the 6 June card will proceed as scheduled. Expectations are high for a performance characteristic of the fighter who won the Japanese boxing industry’s “KO Award” last year, to which Yabuki simply stated, “I will do my best.”
