Japanese Boxing Commission Announce Stricter Safety Measures After the Deaths of Two Boxers
Japanese boxing authorities have announced stricter safety measures for the sport following the deaths of pro boxers Hiromasa Urakawa and Shigetoshi Kotari.
In a statement to reporters, the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) announced that there would be stricter rules on rapid weight loss and mandatory urine tests to measure dehydration.
Ambulances would also be on site for all Japanese boxing matches, and hospitals will be prepped to perform emergency procedures for head injuries and other potential issues. Previously, ambulances were only placed on standby for world title fights, but not for other boxing matches.
The commission’s statement comes after pro boxers Kotari, a super featherweight, and Urakawa, a lightweight, died days after competing in different matches on the same fight card on August 2 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Both boxers sustained brain injuries after their fights and had to undergo emergency brain surgery.
Kotari fought 12 rounds against Yamato Hata in the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title match. Despite leaving the ring unaided after the fight, Kotari soon collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
Urakawa fought at the same venue against Yoji Saito, where he sustained brain injuries that resulted in his passing. The deaths of both boxers were announced within 24 hours of each other; however, the exact cause was not released to the public.
JBC and JPBA Announce New Rules for Japanese Boxing Scene
In a statement Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, the secretary general of the JBC, said, “Officials have decided to take all possible measures to ensure that the deaths of these two boxers are not in vain.”
He also revealed that the commission would begin an investigation into the deaths of Urakawa and Kotari by the end of the month.
The President of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), Shoji Kobayashi, further released a statement on the issue, describing the situation as “really regrettable.” Kobayashi added that new rules would be introduced on how long a player can spar in preparation for an official Japanese boxing match.
JBC and JPBA officials and other officials met in an emergency meeting on Tuesday, August 12, to vote on the new measures. They announced that the OPBF reduced its title fights to 10 rounds instead of 12.
Trend of Deaths Caused by Boxing Injuries
Urakawa and Kotari deaths come just months after Irish super featherweight boxer John Cooney passed. The 28-year-old died of a brain injury a week after his first Celtic super featherweight title defense match against Nathan Howells.
A similar but non-fatal incident occurred in May this year when mini flyweight champion Ginjiro Shigeoka collapsed in the ring and was carried out on a stretcher. He was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency brain surgery. Per JBC rules, he was forced to retire from boxing.
