10.08.2025 16:14

A devastating double tragedy struck the world of boxing on August 2nd. Two Japanese boxers, competing on the same fight card at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, succumbed to fatal brain injuries sustained during their respective bouts.

Shigetoshi Kotari, a 28-year-old boxer, fought a grueling 12-round draw against Yamato Hata, the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion. Following the fight, he lost consciousness and was rushed into surgery for a subdural hematoma – a life-threatening condition involving blood accumulating between the skull and brain. Despite the surgery, Kotari sadly passed away on Friday. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) expressed their profound sorrow, lamenting the loss of a courageous fighter and sending condolences to his family and the Japanese boxing community. Heartbreaking video footage captured Kotari's final walk from the ring, receiving what would be his last round of applause.

On the same card, another 28-year-old featherweight boxer, Hiromasa Urakawa, also suffered a critical brain injury. He was knocked out during his fight with Yoji Saito and subsequently underwent a craniotomy to address a subdural hematoma. Tragically, Urakawa also passed away, his death announced by the WBO on Saturday, adding another layer of grief to the already devastating event. The organization expressed its deepest condolences to both families and the Japanese boxing community in the wake of this unprecedented loss. This double fatality underscores the inherent risks within the sport and serves as a stark reminder of its potentially devastating consequences. The news of these two deaths, from internet sources, shocked the global boxing community.