Japan's four-division world champion Tanaka retires at 29 due to eye injuries
June 5 (Reuters) - Four-division world champion Kosei Tanaka has called time on his professional career at the age of 29 due to repeated eye injuries, the Japanese fighter said.
Tanaka is the fastest boxer to earn belts at four different weights, winning the WBO strawweight, light-flyweight, flyweight and super-flyweight titles in 21 bouts, surpassing American Oscar De La Hoya's record of 24 fights.
Having made his professional debut at 18, Tanaka retires with a record of 20-2. His last fight was in October when he lost to South Africa's Phumelele Cafu.
He said he underwent surgery on both eyes after the bout.
"I'm retiring as a professional boxer. 11 years of professional life ... The reason is all about my repeated eye injuries...," Tanaka posted on social media on Wednesday.
"Due to the effects of hernia operations on my neck and many, many operations on my eyes alone in the four years from 2021, my eyes have become brittle and I can no longer spar, let alone compete.
"I decided to retire because there was no way for me to get into the ring."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Romeny scores for Indonesia in World Cup qualifier
Oxford United striker Ole Romeny scored the only goal of the game for Indonesia in a 1-0 win over China in their World Cup qualifier on 24-year-old netted from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time in a victory which guaranteed Indonesia's progress to the fourth round stage of will now need to either win their mini three-team tiebreaker group or finish second and then win a two-legged play-off game to reach World Cup 2026 which is being held in the USA, Canada and strike against China is his third in three international games for Indonesia since gaining citizenship in February this was born in the Netherlands and represented the Dutch national sides at youth level but his grandmother is Indonesian, meaning Romeny was able to switch his scored one goal in 14 Championship games for the U's after signing from Eredivisie club Utrecht in January.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Portman Road becomes boxing arena for Wardley Huni fight
Ipswich Town's Portman Road stadium is being transformed into a boxing arena ahead of a heavyweight Suffolk ground is due to host about 20,000 spectators when hometown hero Fabio Wardley takes on Justis Huni on British fighter is hoping for a better outcome on the pitch than his beloved Tractor Boys, who failed to register a Premier League home win in Promotions said the arena was "coming along nicely" as it shared some pictures, taken on Thursday, ahead of the bout. Wardley was originally supposed to be fighting Jarrell Miller, who pulled out after suffering an injury in have shown the stadium's famous pitch covered in protective plastic boards, with tall metal structures in place where the ring will who is boxing for the WBA interim title, said it was a "dream come true" to battle at the ground, which holds up to 30,000 fans for walks are expected to take place at 21:50 BST. It will be the first time since 1946 that Portman Road has hosted boxing, according to medallist Lewis Richardson, from Colchester, is on the 10-fight undercard, as is Ipswich boxer Jack Williams. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Teofimoz Lopez won't fight Devin Haney due to ‘confidential personal reasons'
Key figures have explained why talks over a fight between Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez fell apart, with the latter's manager citing 'personal reasons that I will keep confidential'. It was reported this week that Haney and Lopez had agreed to square off in August, in an all-American catchweight bout at 145lb, only for negotiations to collapse. Lopez, 27, currently holds the WBO super-lightweight title. Meanwhile, Haney, 26, is a former undisputed lightweight champion who then held the WBC lightweight belt, before moving up welterweight in his most recent bout. That contest saw Haney outpoint Jose Ramirez with ease, though he came under fire for 'running' for much of the fight, which took place in New York City's Times Square. At the same event in May, Lopez produced a clinic to retain his title against Arnold Barboza Jr via decision. Lopez's co-manager Keith Connolly told The Ring on Thursday (5 June) that his fighter would not face Haney due to 'personal reasons that I will keep confidential', adding: 'We want to thank His Excellency [Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh] for the opportunity and everything he has done for Teo. 'We planned on fighting, but with what was going on, he wanted to make sure he was 100 per cent right mentally and physically, and August was just too quick of a turnaround. I expect Teo to be back later this year, bigger and better than ever.' Haney's father and coach Bill then told The Ring: 'We did all we could to make these big fights happen. Money is not a problem; Turki has taken money out of the equation. 'People tend to use that as the narrative to avoid fights, but this is our second time sitting down with Teofimo Lopez. And let's be clear: it's really the second time Turki has tried to make this fight happen. 'Me and Devin are committed to delivering the biggest fights in boxing. If [Lopez] ain't ready, [he] ain't ready. If Turki can't make these big fights happen, then we might have to pray to God, because I don't know what else it's going to take. 'But we're patient, and we believe. Devin's mission is real, his hit list is real, and we look forward to continuing our quest to cement his face on the Mount Rushmore of boxing. 'Now go ahead and cross Teofimo Lopez off the list, just like Ryan Garcia. In an event labelled City Of The Wolves, they ran home like puppy dogs. Who's next?' Bill Haney was referring to the May event in Times Square, which was arranged by Alalshikh and sponsored by the video game Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves. At that event, Devin Haney's win would have set him up for a rematch with Garcia, had Garcia beaten Rolly Romero. However, Garcia was dropped and outpointed by Romero, as 'King Ryan' returned after a 12-month drug ban. That ban was caused by Garcia's failed drug test on the week of his win over Haney in April 2024, a victory that was overturned to a No Contest. Garcia, 26, dropped his former amateur rival three times en route to the overturned decision win, after missing weight and making himself ineligible to win the WBC lightweight title. Garcia has now undergone wrist surgery and, according to his promoter Oscar De La Hoya, might have to address a shoulder injury. Boxing legend De La Hoya even advised Garcia to take a year off, despite the fighter's 13-month absence between his bouts with Haney and Romero.
