TMK BOX Vol. 3, organized by TMK Gym, took place on the 11th at Yamato University’s Yamato Arena in Suita City, Osaka. In the main event—a 10-round OPBF cruiserweight title match—champion Muheta Maihemt (31, China) faced a challenge from former Japanese heavyweight champion and No. 4-ranked contender in the division, Brandon Mitsuro Tajima (31, TMK).
5回、ダウンを奪った但馬
Tajima, who had taken control of the fight by scoring knockdowns in the first and second rounds with right body hooks and other blows, landed a left straight on Muhetar in the fifth round. Muhetar went down after a brief pause and was unable to get back up, resulting in a ten-count.
Tajima, who had fought at a peak weight of 127 kilograms during his heavyweight days, had slimmed down by doing early-morning runs and stair sprints to make the cruiserweight limit; on the day of the fight, he weighed 90.6 kilograms—100 grams under the limit. He entered this bout having transformed his physique through a weight loss of over 36 kilograms. Tajima, who became the third OPBF cruiserweight champion since Yosuke Nishijima (Osamu) and Ryosuke Takahashi (Kaneko), looked up and said, “My body felt incredibly light, and I was able to throw my punches well. I’ll train even harder and aim for the world title.”
