Six days after a junior lightweight title fight in Tokyo, a Japanese boxer tragically lost his life from a brain
Shigetoshi Kotari died Friday, according to multiple reports, following injuries he suffered in an Aug. 2 bout against Yamato Hata.
Kotari was 28.
He challenged Hata (17-2-1, 16 KOs) for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) belt.
Kotari had won consecutive eight-round fights by unanimous decision to earn the title shot.
The 12-round bout was held at Korakuen Hall.
Kotari lost consciousness after the fight, and it ended in a draw.
“Rest in peace, Shigetoshi Kotari,” the World Boxing Organization wrote on social media. “The boxing world mourns the tragic passing of Japanese fighter Shigetoshi Kotari, who succumbed to injuries sustained during his August 2nd title fight. A warrior in the ring. A fighter in spirit. Gone too soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, team, and the entire Japanese boxing community.”
Kotari, a Nagoya, native, was able to depart the ring on his own. He appeared to be shaken by the head injury.
He drew applause from fans in attendance as he left.
Kotari (8-2-2, 5 KOs) was taken to a nearby hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery for a subdural hematoma.
He was unable to recover.
“Deeply sorry for this loss, a ring accident which makes all of us go back to continue research to find ways to make boxing safer and implement prevention programmes (sic),” said World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman, according to bbc.com. “Our deepest sympathy and condolences for his family and the boxing community in Japan.”
The Japan Boxing Commission is set to make a big change in the aftermath of his tragedy, according to The Sun, with OPBF title fights being scaled back from 12 rounds to 10.
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