Third-ranked Japanese light flyweight Kanamu Sakama of World Sports Boxing Gym has recently been found dead, it was learned on March 18. He was 20.

  The gym’s head Tatsuya Saida confirmed his death on March 17. The cause of his death has not yet been determined.

  While Sakama was supposed to have a fight on March 18 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall, the gym cancelled the fight on March 16, the day before his weigh-in, citing his poor health condition.

  Sakama made his professional debut in May 2021 and won the Japan rookies’ tournament in the light flyweight division in that year. He then won the Japan youth light flyweight title last July. He was undefeated in his nine bouts, eight by knockout.

 His last fight came on Dec. 26 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena in which he stopped John Paul Gabunilas of the Philippines in the fifth round.