こちらは日本女子初の殿堂入りとなった藤岡元王者（左端）

Fujioka admitted that induction into the Hall of Fame was “completely unexpected,” but as time passes, she is increasingly grasping the magnitude of the honour. She also stated that as the first female champion from Japan to be selected, she would be delighted if her achievement could serve as a source of inspiration and a future goal for active female fighters.

Fujioka is scheduled to depart Japan on 9 June to attend the Induction Ceremony, which will be held mid-month at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. She is looking forward to meeting fellow boxing legends, including a reunion with former world middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin, who is being inducted alongside her this year.

“I want to support the active female boxers who are working hard, and I want to contribute to the sport of boxing as a whole, regardless of gender,” Fujioka said. Currently, she offers personal boxing instruction while studying sports science at the Juntendo University Graduate School. She expressed a desire to focus her future efforts on developing female coaches, who remain scarce within the sport.

世界獲得50周年を祝福された具志堅さん（中央）。沖縄の元王者たちと

The gathering, exclusively for retired former world champions, commenced with master of ceremonies and broadcaster Kenichi Takayanagi introducing each attending champion before a group photograph was taken. This year’s event marked the 50th anniversary of Yoko Gushiken (70) capturing his world title, and he was presented with a special award to commemorate the milestone. Masahiko Harada (83), fighting under the ring name Fighting Harada, who serves as the supreme advisor to the association and was the oldest former champion in attendance, presented Gushiken with a bouquet.

On 10 October 1976, at the Yamanashi Gakuin University Gymnasium, Gushiken secured the WBA world junior-flyweight title by stopping Juan Guzman (Dominican Republic) in the seventh round. Winning a world title in only his ninth professional bout set a record at the time for the fewest fights required by a Japanese boxer to become champion. His subsequent 13 consecutive title defences remains an unbroken national record. His achievement also carried significant historical weight, occurring just four years after Okinawa was officially returned to Japan in 1972, making him the first world champion from Okinawa.

Reflecting on his historic victory half a century ago, Gushiken remarked: “It was a truly brutal fight, but I managed to win by knockout. What pleased me most was becoming a world champion so soon after Okinawa’s reversion to the mainland. It brought immense joy not just to those in Okinawa, but also to Okinawan compatriots living across the mainland who celebrated wildly. I was deeply moved when they thanked me for the victory.” Despite being heralded as a “once-in-a-century genius” during his prime, Gushiken added: “I only became strong after I won the world title; before that, I wasn’t strong at all.”

Archival footage of Gushiken’s bouts, including the world title victory over Guzman, was screened inside the venue. Adding to the Okinawan-themed celebration, former WBA interim flyweight champion Koki Eto, an Okinawan native and protégé of Gushiken, performed on the sanshin, a traditional Okinawan three-stringed instrument.

The event saw a notable turnout of former champions travelling from regional areas outside Tokyo. Attendees included Jiro Watanabe, Hiroki Ioka, Hozumi Hasegawa, and Nobuhiro Ishida from the Kansai region; Kiyoshi Hatanaka and Kosei Tanaka from the Chubu region; Yota Sato from Iwate in the Tohoku region; Tomonobu Shimizu from Fukui; and Nobuaki Hiranaka and Tatsuya Fukuhara from Kyushu and Okinawa.

The dinner function was conceived by Hamada, who took over as the association’s second president the year before last, driven by his strong desire to create more opportunities for interaction with fans. This marked the second edition of the event. The former champions spent the evening signing autographs and posing for photographs with enthusiastic supporters. While the organisers intend to establish the dinner as an annual tradition on Boxing Day in Japan (19 May), this year’s event was delayed by two weeks due to venue availability.

WBAタイトルの返上を発表した松本（左は浜田剛史代表）

Matsumoto, currently undergoing a training camp in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, explained his decision to vacate through the gym’s official website: “I wanted to fight strong opponents without being constrained by the boundaries of sanctioning bodies.” The current minimumweight landscape features unified WBA Super and WBO champion Oscar Collazo (Puerto Rico), WBC champion Siyakholwa Kuse (South Africa), and IBF champion Pedro Taduran (Philippines).

In the newly released WBA rankings as of June 1, Matsumoto is rated number one in the minimumweight division, followed by Takeshi Ishii (Ohashi) at number two and Wilfredo Mendez (Puerto Rico) at number three.

成田キャンプに意気込んで出発した松本、那須川、岩田、坪井（写真左から）＝帝拳ジム提供写真＝

The participants include WBC world light-flyweight champion Shokichi Iwata, WBA world minimumweight champion Ryusei Matsumoto, WBC bantamweight No. 1 contender Tenshin Nasukawa, and WBC & WBO super-flyweight No. 1 contender Tomoya Tsuboi.

Through the gym, each fighter released statements regarding their outlook: “I will approach this with strong vitality,” said Nasukawa. Iwata commented, “I want to thoroughly push my cardio and legs to return both mentally and physically stronger.” Matsumoto remarked, “Building the foundation ahead of a hot summer,” while Tsuboi stated, “I will focus intensively on strengthening my lower body and stamina, which are lacking ahead of my next bout.”

Under the guidance of strength and conditioning coach Masahiko Nakamura, the four boxers are focusing their training on lower-body development.

大橋ジムからプロ転向する中山聖也

Hailing from Fukuoka, Nakayama is the youngest of the “Nakayama Three Brothers,” a trio well-known in amateur boxing circles along with his older brothers Sota and Koichi. While attending Higashi Fukuoka High School, he captured five national titles, including three consecutive Inter-High School Championships. Following his two brothers to Komazawa University last year, he won the National Sports Festival. He finished as runner-up at the All-Japan Championships, a result due to his withdrawal from the final bout after injuring his left fist. While he had initially aimed for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the scheduled weight classes did not align with his optimal weight (flyweight), prompting him to drop out of university after his freshman year to pursue a professional career.

Ohashi Gym President Hideyuki Ohashi, who was directly approached by Nakayama regarding a professional turn, initially advised him to do so “after graduating from university,” but ultimately accepted him due to Nakayama’s strong determination. After subsequently witnessing Nakayama sparring with Raito Kataoka at the gym, Ohashi expressed high regard for his potential, stating, “I was certain he would become a world champion.” Nakayama holds a 1-1 record against Yuga Fujiki from their elementary and junior high school days and has faced Raito Kataoka five times, including during their high school careers. Now belonging to the same gym as his two peers of the same age, Nakayama expressed his ambition: “I want to work diligently alongside them and aim for a world championship.”

アマチュア出

A powerful southpaw, Nakayama compiled an amateur record of 57 wins, including 30 stoppages, against a single loss. Possessing formidable one-punch power, he identifies his punching ability as his primary asset, a quality President Ohashi agrees is highly suited for the professional ranks. Standing 171 centimetres tall, Nakayama is expected to move up in weight in the future, and both he and observers acknowledge a stylistic resemblance to Junto Nakatani. Additionally, Nakayama noted that he studies the lead-hand utilization of fellow southpaw Shakur Stevenson (USA). He cited gym seniors Naoya and Takuma Inoue as his boxing idols.

According to President Ohashi, Nakayama will undergo a public professional license test on 10 June at a card hosted by the gym, which features Fujiki’s professional debut as the main event. Current Japanese light-flyweight youth champion Ryuta Suekuni (Lions Gym) is scheduled to serve as his sparring partner for the practical examination. Plans are underway for Nakayama to make his professional debut in August.

The artwork is titled Challenger. Despite suffering his first professional defeat against Inoue, Nakatani’s reputation remains undiminished. The narrative of whether he can leverage this setback to ascend to the pinnacle of the sport once more has already commenced, marking the beginning of the second chapter of his career. Adorned with his own signature, the mural has become a definitive symbol of a true challenger.

【告知】井上尚弥vs中谷潤人 5.2東京ドーム決戦に迫る密着ドキュメンタリーがLeminoプレミアムで配信開始

５月２日に東京ドームで開催された井上尚弥（大橋）－中谷潤人（M.T）の舞台裏に迫った「試合密着ドキュメンタリー THE DAY～やがて、伝説と呼ばれる日。～井上尚弥vs中谷潤人　井上拓真vs井岡一翔」が25日からLeminoプレミアムで独占...

boxingnews.jp

（大橋ジム提供）

The documentary explores the behind-the-scenes action of the historic night, featuring both Inoue and Nakatani reflecting on their mindset during their high-level tactical encounter in the ring. It also closely follows the WBC bantamweight title bout between Takuma Inoue (Ohashi) and Kazuto Ioka (Shisei).

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.”

写真は昨年開催の「世界チャンピオンと懇親の夕べ」から。約40人を超す元チャンピオンが参加した

Each year, the association honours former champions celebrating the 50th anniversary of their world title victories. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Yoko Gushiken (former WBA world junior-flyweight champion) capturing the world title by defeating Juan Guzman on 10 October 1976 in only his ninth professional bout, which set a record for the fewest fights to win a world championship at the time. Footage of the Gushiken-Guzman bout is scheduled to be screened at the venue, offering an opportunity to recognise the competitive prowess of Gushiken, who is currently prominent as a television personality.

The Association of Professional Boxing World Champions was established in 2010 under the proposal of Gatsu Ishimatsu as a social organisation for retired Japanese world champions. The association aims to contribute to the boxing community through activities such as charitable initiatives. Following Tsuyoshi Hamada (former WBC world junior-welterweight champion) succeeding the inaugural president, Gatsu Ishimatsu, to become the second president in 2024, this event will mark the second dinner gathering under his leadership.

The dinner event is open to the general public. Those wishing to attend can apply via the official website of the Association of Professional Boxing World Champions below. The attendance fee is 30,000 yen.

The Official Website of the Association of Professional Boxing World Champions

「世界チャンピオン会」主催イベント：一般参加 受付開始のお知らせ

​昨年に続き、今年も「世界チャンピオン会」主催イベントの開催が決定いたしました。前回「一般からの参加はできないのか」と多数のお問い合わせをいただいたことを受け、本年は一般の皆様の募集も行います。​今回は『具志堅用高 タイトル獲得50周年記念...

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プロテストに備える帝拳のルーキー古城（帝拳ジム提供写真）

Born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Kojo achieved notable success during his schoolboy days, including winning the Junior Champions League (JCL), before advancing to Hokan Gakuen High School in Fukuoka Prefecture—the alma mater of former WBA world junior-bantamweight champion Katsuya Onizuka. During his third year at the school, Kojo secured the national high school selection tournament title in the light-welterweight division, followed by victories at the Inter-High School Championships and the National Sports Festival in the lightweight division, completing a treble of national titles. Upon graduating, he moved to Tokyo independently to join the Teiken Boxing Gym.

A southpaw stylist, Kojo possesses a powerful straight left, utilized effectively by controlling the distance. His amateur record stands at 45 wins, including 29 stoppages and RSCs, against 4 losses. In the professional ranks, he intends to campaign in the featherweight division.

Koki Kameda issued an apology in his statement, adding: “For the fighters who were scheduled to compete, we are making every possible adjustment to swiftly arrange a new platform for them, ensuring that their hard work thus far does not go to waste.”

Regarding the event scheduled for 6 June in Aichi Prefecture, Kameda reported that discussions are currently underway with the LUSH side to determine whether the card can still go ahead.

“As the founder, it deeply pains me that under the current circumstances, it is impossible to definitively state right now that the event will take place,” Kameda noted in his statement. “While the situation is by no means optimistic, we will move forward with swift discussions in the time remaining. We will make a further announcement to everyone regarding our future approach, including whether or not the Aichi event will be held.”

The 6 June card features a highly anticipated line-up, headlined by the IBF flyweight title bout between Masamichi Yabuki (Midori) and Rene Calixto (Mexico). The undercard is scheduled to include the IBF super-flyweight title fight between Willibaldo Garcia (Mexico) and Andrew Moloney (Australia), alongside other notable matchups such as Luis Nery (Mexico) versus John Riel Casimero (Philippines), and Kenneth Llover (Philippines) versus Michael Angeletti (US). Close attention continues to be paid to how the situation develops.

Next Week’s SAIKOULUSH Event in Kyrgyzstan Cancelled; Organisers Cite Failure to Maintain Business Plan

SAIKOULUSH announced on the night of 17 May the cancellation of its upcoming event, "SAIKOULUSH vol.5/6," which was sche...

boxingnews.jp

2026.05.18

日本王者奈良井の挑戦を受ける波田

Hata (18-2-1, 17 KOs) successfully made his third defence of the title in March with a fifth-round TKO victory over Kim Tae-sun of South Korea. His world rankings are steadily rising, currently placed at No. 13 by the WBA and No. 9 by the WBC.

波田の持つOPBF王座に挑む奈良井（右から２人目）

Narai (18-2, 12 KOs) has recorded four successful defences of his Japanese national title. In his most recent bout in March, he secured a decision victory over Ryosuke Sunagawa (Okinawa WR) following a fierce contest. Furthermore, in January last year, he defeated then-WBO Asia Pacific champion Kai Watanabe (Lions) via a 10-round decision in a non-title bout.

The event will be broadcast live on U-NEXT.

亀田興毅氏の手掛ける5月のSAIKOULUSHキルギス興行が中止に

Following this unusual announcement, the entire card has been cancelled, including the WBA interim super-flyweight title bout between David Jimenez and Ayumu Sano, the WBA interim featherweight title bout between Luis Nunez and Kyonosuke Kameda, and the WBA flyweight eliminator between Hasanboy Dusmatov and Joel Contreras.

According to the organisers, “Due to recent rapid shifts in the economic climate and a higher-than-anticipated surge in local promotional and staging costs, it has become extremely difficult to maintain the initial business plan.” Despite exploring financing options to salvage the event, they stated, “We concluded that further progression would compromise our ability to ensure proper purse payments to the fighters and guarantee a safe, high-quality event for the fans, leading us to this bitter decision.”

The event director offered an apology, stating, “We deeply apologise for failing to meet the expectations of the fans and the fighters who entrusted us with their dreams,” adding that they intend to promptly address all affected parties. The statement further noted, “Our risk assessment and financial planning for a large-scale overseas event were naive,” and concluded, “We will fundamentally restructure our management system. Given the extreme gravity of our responsibility in this matter, we will announce necessary disciplinary actions as soon as they are finalised.”

On the night, Fujiki will face WBO Asia Pacific super-featherweight 15th-ranked Wira Mikham (Thailand, 21-2, 13 KOs) in a 59.9kg catchweight six-rounder.

The event features a heavily promoted contingent from the Ohashi Gym, alongside Fujiki, consisting of Yuta Sakai, Raito Kataoka, and Tomu Kataoka, all regarded as the next generation of potential stars. The card carries the promotional tagline “Rising stars of the boxing world.” Sakai (7-0, 6 KOs) is scheduled to face former OPBF champion Froilan Saludar (Philippines, 36-8-1, 25 KOs). Raito Kataoka, making his second professional appearance, takes on Suriya Suttaruksa (Thailand, 8-9, 4 KOs). Tomu Kataoka, a southpaw and two-time high school national champion, makes his professional debut against Attachai Prasertri (Thailand, 8-6, 5 KOs).

The remainder of the schedule functions as a prospect-heavy showcase, featuring appearances by powerful welterweight puncher Ryuko Ishii (Tokashiki), middleweight Kazuto Kawabuchi (ABC), and minimumweight Issa Sakata (S&K).

再起第2戦の決まった阿久井㊧。右は豊嶋亮太（写真は以前のもの）

Akui will face Lorentz Pearson (Philippines) in a 10-round super-flyweight contest. The Filipino is an orthodox fighter with a record of 8-2 (3 KOs) and will be making his professional debut in Japan.

Since prior to the Teraji bout, Akui has been engaged in rigorous physical conditioning. Although brief, his first comeback appearance last December—a third-round knockout of Vincent Laccur—demonstrated the tangible results of this training, raising expectations for his upcoming performance. Akui has already arrived in Tokyo and is currently undergoing final preparations at the Teiken Gym.

The card features a double header of title bouts: Kuntae Lee (Teiken) defends his WBO Asia Pacific super-lightweight title against Izuki Tomioka (Kadoebi Jewel), while Shohri Umetsu (Mitani Yamato Sports) challenges Keita Kurihara (KOD) for the Japanese bantamweight title.

エジプトで防衛戦を行う晝田

WBO female world super-flyweight champion Mizuki Hiruta (Misako) will face 10th-ranked challenger Mai Soliman (Australia) for her seventh title defence. While all 11 of Soliman’s professional bouts (10-1, 6 KOs) have taken place in Australia, she was born in Cairo, Egypt, meaning Hiruta will be venturing into the challenger’s home territory. The fight is part of the “GLORY in GIZA” event, headlined by a clash between three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine) and kickboxer Rico Verhoeven (Netherlands).

Hiruta enjoyed a prolific campaign last year, recording four successful defences in the United States and earning the Ring Magazine Female Fighter of the Year award. In preparation for this bout, she has once again undergone an extensive training camp in Los Angeles. Given the magnitude of the event, Hiruta views this as a prime opportunity to further bolster her international profile, which fuels her ambition for a knockout victory. A win here would serve as a significant step toward her ultimate goal of a unification bout.