Two Japanese boxers die after brain injuries at same Tokyo event
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Both boxers were rushed to hospital where they had brain surgery.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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TOKYO – Two boxers in Japan have died from brain injuries they incurred in separate bouts during the same event in Tokyo, officials said.
Super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, fought on the same card at the capital’s Korakuen Hall on Aug 2.
Both were later rushed to hospital where they had brain surgery.
Kotari, who battled to a draw after 12 rounds against fellow Japanese fighter Yamato Hata, lost consciousness soon after and “passed away at 10.59pm on Aug 8”, his MT boxing gym said on its website on Aug 9.
“He did his best to fight his way through the surgery and treatment he had been receiving at a Tokyo hospital due to acute subdural haematoma,” the gym’s post said.
Urakawa was stopped in the eighth and final round against Yoji Saito and “tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during his fight”, the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) said in an Instagram post on Aug 10.
Urakawa died on Aug 9 night, according to local media reports.
“This heartbreaking news comes just days after the passing of Shigetoshi Kotari, who died from injuries suffered in his fight on the same card,” the WBO said, adding it extends “our deepest condolences to the families, friends and the Japanese boxing community”.
Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the Japan Boxing Commission, told local media after their hospitalisation that it was likely “the first time in Japan two fighters underwent skull-opening surgery for injuries stemming from the same event”.
In other combat sports news, American middleweight Anthony Hernandez, 31, got the victory over Georgian Roman Dolidze, 37, by securing a fourth-round rear-naked choke on Aug 9 in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
“Man, I want a title shot,” Hernandez said in the Octagon following the win. “What do I gotta do?”
Hernandez (15-2 MMA) has won his last eight fights and he will be watching intently to see who comes away victorious in the UFC 319 main event on Aug 16 in Chicago.
As for Dolidze (15-4 MMA), it snapped a three-fight winning streak in a crowded division.
Women’s strawweight Iasmin Lucindo from Brazil and bantamweight Steve Erceg from Australia won their respective fights by unanimous decision.
Lucindo (18-6 MMA) has won three of her last four and prevented opponent Angela Hill (18-15 MMA) from restarting her win streak.
Erceg (13-4 MMA) snapped a three-fight losing skid by moving up to bantamweight from flyweight. He utilised several submission attempts to frustrate Jamaican Ode Osbourne (13-9 MMA) and secure the win.
AFP, REUTERS
