Ryoji Fukunaga of Kadoebi Boxing Gym, who unsuccessfully challenged World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym for the latter’s title on New Year’s Eve last year, submitted his retirement notice to Japan Boxing Commission on Aug. 10, the exact day when he made his professional debut nine years ago.

The 35-year-old Fukunaga, who made the debut from Osaka’s Eddie Townsend Boxing Gym, moved to Miyata Boxing Gym and then to the Kadoebi gym during his career, captured the Japanese, WBO Asia-Pacific and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight titles and held them simultaneously at one time.

But Fukunaga relinquished these titles before taking a crack at Ioka’s world title, in which Fukunaga suffered a unanimous decision loss. His lifetime record was 15 wins, including 14 knockouts, against five defeats. The left-handed Fukunaga was nicknamed ‘’Little Manny Pacquiao’’ for his similar fighting style.