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National Post
7 days ago
- Health
- National Post
Japan boxing to adopt stricter safety rules after deaths of two fighters
Japanese boxing officials said on Tuesday they would introduce urine tests, stricter rules on weight loss to prevent dehydration and improve medical cover at bouts following the deaths of two fighters. Article content The new measures were adopted during an emergency meeting of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and gym owners on Tuesday. Article content Article content It was convened after super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died days after brain surgery on injuries they sustained in separate bouts at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2. Article content The exact cause of the boxers' deaths is to be determined, but dehydration caused by cutting weight rapidly is regarded as a factor in making the brain more susceptible to bleeding, according to the World Boxing Association. Article content The deaths were 'really regrettable,' said JPBA president Shoji Kobayashi. 'We gathered today to establish a plan towards zero accidents.' Article content New measures to be implemented as soon as possible include urine tests for measuring dehydration and stricter rules on boxers' rapid weight loss, said Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC. Article content Ambulances will also be required on site, even for non-world championship bouts. They will partner with hospitals that are equipped to perform emergency surgery for head and other injuries. Article content Article content There will also be new rules on how long before a fight sparring must be stopped during training, he said. Article content Officials decided 'to take all measures possible so we do not let the deaths of the two be in vain,' Yasukochi added. Article content Kotari collapsed and later died after going 12 rounds in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title fight. The JBC had already announced all future OPBF title bouts would be reduced to 10 rounds. Article content 'That such an incident occurred involving top-level boxers means we may face arguments that boxing should be halted,' admitted Toshiharu Kayama, former Japan welterweight champion and president of the boxing gym Ebisu K's Box. Article content 'We, the association and gyms, want to think and change' the way the sport is contested, Kayama said. Article content An accident investigation committee will work to find out the cause of the boxers' deaths later this month and guidance on prevention measures will be updated, Yasukochi said. Article content
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Japan boxing to adopt stricter safety rules after deaths of two fighters
TOKYO, Aug 12 — Japanese boxing officials said on Tuesday they would introduce urine tests, stricter rules on weight loss to prevent dehydration and improve medical cover at bouts following the deaths of two fighters. The new measures were adopted during an emergency meeting of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and gym owners on Tuesday. It was convened after super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died days after brain surgery on injuries they sustained in separate bouts at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2. The exact cause of the boxers' deaths is to be determined, but dehydration caused by cutting weight rapidly is regarded as a factor in making the brain more susceptible to bleeding, according to the World Boxing Association. The deaths were 'really regrettable,' said JPBA president Shoji Kobayashi. 'We gathered today to establish a plan towards zero accidents.' New measures to be implemented as soon as possible include urine tests for measuring dehydration and stricter rules on boxers' rapid weight loss, said Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC. Ambulances will also be required on site, even for non-world championship bouts. They will partner with hospitals that are equipped to perform emergency surgery for head and other injuries. There will also be new rules on how long before a fight sparring must be stopped during training, he said. Officials decided 'to take all measures possible so we do not let the deaths of the two be in vain,' Yasukochi added. Kotari collapsed and later died after going 12 rounds in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title fight. The JBC had already announced all future OPBF title bouts would be reduced to 10 rounds. 'That such an incident occurred involving top-level boxers means we may face arguments that boxing should be halted,' admitted Toshiharu Kayama, former Japan welterweight champion and president of the boxing gym Ebisu K's Box. 'We, the association and gyms, want to think and change' the way the sport is contested, Kayama said. An accident investigation committee will work to find out the cause of the boxers' deaths later this month and guidance on prevention measures will be updated, Yasukochi said. The JBC and JPBA will also hold a safety meeting later this month, which will include the organisations' doctors as well as the amateur boxing federation, he added. — AFP
France 24
11-08-2025
- Health
- France 24
Japan boxing to hold emergency meeting following deaths
Super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, fought on the same card at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2 and died days later following brain surgery. The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC), gym owners and other boxing officials are under pressure to act and will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday. They are also expected to have talks about safety next month, local media said. "We are acutely aware of our responsibility as the manager of the sport," Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC, told reporters on Sunday. "We will take whatever measures we can." Japanese media highlighted the risks of fighters dehydrating to lose weight rapidly before weigh-ins. "Dehydration makes the brain more susceptible to bleeding," the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said. That is one of the issues the JBC plans to discuss with trainers. "They want to hear from gym officials who work closely with the athletes about such items as weight loss methods and pre-bout conditioning, which may be causally related (to fatalities)," the Nikkan Sports newspaper said. In one immediate measure, the commission has decided to reduce all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title bouts to 10 rounds from 12. "The offensive power of Japanese boxing today is tremendous," Yasukochi was quoted by the Asahi Shimbun as telling reporters.
