Overview
- OPBF has cut championship bouts from twelve to ten rounds to lower the risk of severe head trauma.
- The Japanese Boxing Commission is reviewing pre-fight weight-cutting methods to address dehydration-related vulnerabilities.
- The reforms follow Aug. 2 bouts at Tokyo’s Korakuen Arena in which 28-year-olds Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa each suffered subdural hematomas requiring emergency surgery.
- The World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Council have pledged support for expanded safety research and preventive initiatives.
- Officials say it is likely the first time two boxers required emergency surgery for ring injuries at a single Japanese event, fueling calls for broader regulatory change.