Overview

• Kotari collapsed after a 12-round draw with Yamato Hata in Tokyo on August 2 and was diagnosed with an acute subdural hematoma.
• He underwent emergency craniotomy at a Tokyo hospital but succumbed to his injuries six days later.
• Fellow boxer Hiromasa Urakawa also required a craniotomy after his August 2 bout and remains under observation.
• JBC regulations mandate automatic retirement for any boxer undergoing a craniotomy, underscoring stricter career-ending health protocols.
• Kotari’s death, following earlier ring fatalities in Japan and abroad, has prompted international boxing bodies to call for expanded research and prevention programs.