Japan has suffered a second tragedy from the August 2 Korakuen Hall card. Hiromasa Urakawa died from injuries sustained in his bout with Yoji Saito, passing away at age 28 after being stopped in the eighth and final round despite leading on two of the three scorecards. “The WBO mourns the passing of Japanese boxer Hiromasa Urakawa,” the organization posted, offering condolences to his family and the Japanese boxing community.
Urakawa’s death follows the loss of Shigetoshi Kotari, who also died at 28 after his 12-round split draw with Yamato Hata on the same show. Promoted by Hall of Famer Akihiko Honda, the event is already being described as “boxing’s darkest night,” with the sport in Japan reeling from consecutive, devastating outcomes.
The two men were linked in life and career. Urakawa was the only fighter to stop Kotari, doing so in April of last year at the very same venue. That cruel symmetry now frames a painful moment for Tokyo’s tight-knit boxing scene.
In the immediate aftermath of Kotari’s passing, the Japan Boxing Commission moved to reduce OPBF title fights from 12 to 10 rounds, signaling an urgent shift toward added safeguards. Further measures are expected as officials, fighters, and fans mourn Urakawa and Kotari - two young men gone far too soon.
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