Two Boxers Die At 28 Following Their Fights
Boxing remains an incredibly dangerous sport. A tragic story out of the sport is making that extremely clear this weekend.
A night of boxing turned tragic in Japan this month. Two boxers, both aged 28, died in horrible tragedies following a weekend of fighting. They both succumbed to brain injuries.
Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, both in their late 20s, suffered fatal brain injuries following their fights this month. The World Boxing Organization paid tributes to the two fighters on social media following the tragic news out of the boxing world. Tributes are pouring in for them, as well.
Kotari reportedly collapsed after his fight against Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion Yamato Hata. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and underwent emergency surgery. However, he tragically died.
Meanwhile, Urakawa lost to Yoji Saito in a knockout. He also suffered a fatal brain injury and died, despite undergoing emergency surgery.
The World Boxing Organization is deeply saddened.
"Rest in peace, Shigetoshi Kotari 🕊️ The boxing world mourns the tragic passing of Japanese fighter Shigetoshi Kotari, who succumbed to injuries sustained during his August 2nd title fight. A warrior in the ring. A fighter in spirit. Gone too soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, team, and the entire Japanese boxing community," they wrote.
"The WBO mourns the passing of Japanese boxer Hiromasa Urakawa, who tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during his fight against Yoji Saito on August 2 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. 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."
Our thoughts are with their friends and family members following this tragic occurrence this weekend.
Two Boxers Die At 28 Following Their Fights first appeared on The Spun on Aug 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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