A day after Japanese boxer 28-year-old Shigetoshi Kotari died last Friday from injuries sustained during his bout with Yamato Hata on August 2, another Japanese boxer 28-year-old Hiromasa Urakawa died on Saturday post injuries sustained during his featherweight eighth round loss via knockout against Yogi Saito in the same card as of Kotari at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on August 2. Both Kotari and Urakawa had undergone surgery for subdural haematoma-a condition where blood collects between the skull and brain due to an impact. With Urakawa becoming the second Japanese boxer to die within days, the Japanese Boxing Commission will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday with the commission having announced its decision to hold all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title bouts for ten rounds instead of 12 post Kotari’s death on Friday. Urakawa’s death is also the third such instance this year after Irishman John Conley had died in February following his fight against Nathan Howells of Welsh. Conney died after suffering an intracranial haemorrhage, a condition where bleeding happens in the skull.
“World Boxing Council mourns the passing of Japanese boxer Hiromasa Urakawa, who tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during his fight against Yoji Saito. This heartbreaking news comes just days after the passing of Shigetoshi Kotari, who died from injuries suffered in his fight on the same card. We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends and the Japanese boxing community during this incredibly difficult time.” World Boxing Council said in a statement.
While Katori had died after a draw against Hata after 12 rounds, Urakawa died post his eighth-round loss against Saito on August 2. Both boxers had undergone a craniotomy, a process of removing a part of the skull, but died within a day of each other’s passing. While Kotari had contested in 12 bouts including eight wins, two losses and two draws with five knockout wins, Urakawa had fought 14 times as professional boxer with ten wins and four losses including seven knockout wins in his brief professional career. “We are acutely aware of our responsibility as the manager of the sport. We will take whatever measures we can,” Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC, told Japanese media on Sunday. While JBC announced an investigation and planned to hold a meeting in September earlier last week, the common officials will have the emergency meeting on Tuesday. On the decision to make the professional bouts of ten rounds instead of 12 rounds, Yasukochi had termed 12 rounds as dangerous in the present scenario. “The offensive power of Japanese boxing today is tremendous. We have more and more boxers who are able to start exchanges of fierce blows from the first round. Maybe 12 rounds can be dangerous,” Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbum reported.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Expand
AloJapan.com