Japanese Rule of the Lower Weights Under Challenge by Pinoy, Latino Boxers
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 07 Aug 2025
Nakatani (L) and Inoue hold the fort for Japanese champions.
Per latest world boxing rankings as published by BoxingScene.com, there are five Japanese world boxing champions holding nine major title belts led by undisputed super bantamweight titlist Naoya Inoue and unified WBC-IBF bantamweight titleholder Junto Nakatani.
This is the lowest number of Japanese boxing champions since the Dai Nippon's blitzkrieg of the lower weights classes ushering in what Inoue described as golden age of the professional fight sport in Japan.
The only other current Japanese boxing world champions now, aside from Inoue and Nakatani, are Takei Yoshiki (WBO bantamweight), Masamachi Yabuki (WBA flyweight) and Kyosuke Takami (WBA light flyweight).
Losing their crowns earlier this year are Kenshiro Teraji (his unified WBC-WBA flyweight belts to Ricardo Sandoval),, Shokicki Iwata (his WBO light flyweight crown to Rene Santiago) and Kosei Tanaka (his WBO super flyweight title to Phomele Cafu).
Last year, the Shigeoka brothers (Ginjiro and Yudai) ceded their respective WBC and IBF minimumweight titles to Filipinos Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran) and Kazuto Ioka surrendered his WBA super flyweight crown to Fernando Martinez. Teraji also vacated his unified WBC-WBA light flyweight titles on his move up to flyweight where he later also became unified champion.
Japanese champions also engaged in unification bouts with Seigo Yuri Akui losing his WBA flyweight belt to Teraji and Ryosuke Nishida losing his IBF bantamweight title to Nakatani.
Seiya Tsusumi used to hold the WBA bantamweight crown, winning it from Takuma Inoue but for some reasons, the WBA now recognises Antonio Vargas of the USA as regular champion and Filipino veteran great Nonito Donaire as Interim titlist.
But in retrospect, in a space of just over a year, five Japanese fighters lost their hold of their world championships, two to Latinos, two to Filipinos and one to a South African.
While Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani can be considered as virtually untouchable in their respective divisions, the same cannot be said of other Japanese world titleholders with stiffening oppositions coming from the America's and the Philippines for instance.
Bam Rodriguez has taken over the flyweights prompting the likes of Juan Francisco Estrada and Chocolatito Gonzalez to move up to the bantamweights and threaten the lesser Japanese titleholders there. Rodriguez has plans to take his act to the 118lbs and beyond, presenting a real threat to Nakatani and even Inoue if they lingered much longer.
And there's the looming challenge coming from established and upcoming mitts slingers from the Philippines and Latin America. Solid champion fighters as Fernando Martinez, Ricardo Sandoval, Luis Collazo, Marlon Tapales, Kenneth Llover.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
OLYMPIC BOXING 4: 1924 OLYMPICS AT PARIS, FRANCE
By Maloney L. Samaco, Tue, 02 Dec 2025Cebuana Lhuillier-Backed UTP National Team Shines at 40th Penang Open, Captures Multiple Titles
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 02 Dec 2025WBC 63th Annual Convention Opens in Bangkok
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 02 Dec 2025Undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor closing out a strong 2026
Tue, 02 Dec 2025USA Boxing Announces Partnership with Xempower USA
Tue, 02 Dec 2025THE RING 6: TEOFIMO-SHAKUR SET FOR JANUARY SHOWDOWN IN NEW YORK
Tue, 02 Dec 2025Undefeated Middleweight Dante Kirkman Set to Return December 11 in Costa Mesa
Tue, 02 Dec 2025Dejon Farrell Francis Turning Things Around
Tue, 02 Dec 2025WBC Light Heavyweight Champion David 'The Mexican Monster' Benavidez Excited About History-Making Cinco De Mayo Showdown with Gilberto Ramirez
Tue, 02 Dec 2025PPV.COM RETURNS TO THE RING LIVE STREAMING ALL-ACTION TITLE TILT ISAAC "PITBULL" CRUZ vs. LAMONT ROACH, JR
Tue, 02 Dec 2025Llover Eyes Winner of Salas-Ngexeke IBF Title Duel in Mexico
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 01 Dec 2025Jimuel draws in pro debut
By Joaquin Henson, Mon, 01 Dec 2025Kevin Durant sets new NBA record
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Mon, 01 Dec 2025LAZARO LORENZANA CAPTURES WBC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE OVER LUIS ARIAS
Sun, 30 Nov 2025Paras fails bid for IBO world super fly title
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 30 Nov 2025