Within the wake of Naoya Inoue’s emphatic decimation of Mexico’s tremendous bantamweight old-guard Luis Nery, Japan has displayed on the world stage that it’s the epicentre of the decrease weight divisions.
Extra-so than ever earlier than, Japanese fighters have been establishing themselves on the pinnacle, highlighting the sheer pedigree of the small island nation. Amongst the flurry of fighters and brouhaha of brawlers, there’s one identify that has been criminally undervalued.
This fighter, an excellent flyweight expertise, shares accolades on the extent of Vasyl Lomachenko; they each share the report for the shortest period of time taken to change into a three-weight world champion. A formidable feat, one largely uncared for by the boxing institution.
This fighter goes below the identify of Kosei Tanaka (20-1), a 28 yr outdated resident of Nagoya, Japan. Regardless of having Legg-Calve-Perthe illness, Tanaka would excel as an newbie boxer. ‘Dream Boy’, as he’s typically referred to, would compete within the gentle flyweight division right now, the place he would earn himself quite a few accolades throughout the nationwide and regional scenes.
Sources are conflicted on his precise newbie report, with some stating that it stood at 46-5, while Boxrec solely has eight formally listed bouts. Both means, what is understood is that Tanaka was a wonderful prospect; he was not stopped in his newbie profession.
In 2013, on the younger age of 18, Tanaka would hit the skilled ranks with minimumweight drive, selecting up two unanimous resolution wins earlier than a vital knockout of 17-7-2 Crison Omayao would put him on the radar within the Japanese scene.
It could additionally put him on the map of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Minimumweight champion; on the time 18-0 Ryuji Hara. Tanaka would placed on a nice show in his first 12 spherical bout, securing a TKO end within the tenth spherical in a extremely contentious, busy bout. It was Tanaka’s willingness coming into the second half of the rumble that might safe him the distinguished OPBF belt in solely his fourth struggle.
In solely his subsequent struggle, the spectacular ‘Dream Boy’ would morph into the ‘Monster of Chukyo’ one can see at this time, as he would problem WBO World Minimumweight champion Julian Yedras, then 24-1. Tanaka would shatter the report established by the extra well-known ‘Monster’, Naoya Inoue, as Yedras would have his gold torn from him by Tanaka, incomes a world title within the fewest quantity of fights, in a bout that showcased his successful talent.
Overcoming a knock-down from Filipino Vic Saludar, Tanaka would knockout the artful Saludar one spherical later. Shifting as much as gentle flyweight, it could solely take Tanaka one stoppage victory to regulate to the burden, then making a play for the WBO World Gentle Flyweight belt; which had been vacant since Donnie Nietes left it to pursue greater weight lessons.
His opponent could be Mexican warrior Moises Fuentes, whom Tanaka would brutally dominate, regardless of the dedication of the spirited ‘Moy’. Tanaka would drop Fuentes in spherical 5 and he might merely not get well from there, holding up till the referee would waive the bout in favour of Tanaka.
For his first defence, the spry Japanese champion would face Angel Acosta, a problem who had ended all 16 of his earlier bouts by way of knockout. Tanaka, nevertheless, proved too prepared for the Puerto Rican to deal with and, regardless of the struggle being scored extremely in favour of Tanaka, it proved to be an thrilling bout, with Acosta having moments.
Yet one more TKO for Tanaka, towards 14-1 Palangpol CP Freshmart, would put together him for higher pastures – or, a minimum of, greater pastures; he would transfer up in weight as soon as extra, establishing himself as a flyweight with a ninth spherical stoppage over Ronnie Baldonado.
His twelfth bout could be one for the historical past books. In an act solely carried out as soon as earlier than by newbie genius {and professional} technician Vasyl Lomachenko, Tanaka would earn the WBO World Flyweight title in a hard-fought battle with fellow Japanese expertise Sho Kimura; who had travelled throughout Thailand and China to hone his apply.
With a majority resolution win to his identify, in addition to a extra historic report, Tanaka would make two dramatic defences of his title, earlier than developing towards the most important problem of his profession up to now; the surging Japanese prodigy Kazuto Ioka.
On the closing day of 2020, the 2 males would go to struggle in Ota-Metropolis Basic Gymnasium, for Ioka’s WBO trinket. Ioka, at this level in his profession, was seasoned and versatile.
In an all-action bout, the 2 ring-technicians would interact in gloved warfare, in a bout that was decided to not go the space. And, that was the case.
Within the eighth spherical of the championship struggle, Ioka, regardless of being peppered with hard-hitting photographs from Tanaka, was faster to counter. With one single jolt, Tanaka was caught considerably, stuttering on his toes. The stoppage was swift; virtually too swift, but, Tanaka would endure the primary – and solely – lack of his profession.
Tanaka’s enterprise into the fourth weight class of his profession had faltered in a means not too dissimilar to Ioka’s uncle, Hiroki Ioka. But, very similar to the elder Ioka, Tanaka was not deterred. And, in contrast to the elder Ioka, luck could be on the aspect of the Japanese ‘Dream’.
Amassing the WBO Asia Pacific title with a fifth spherical TKO of Masayoshi Hashizume, undefeated in 21 bouts on the time, Tanaka would put in diligent performances on the Asia Pacific degree to stabilise himself throughout the rankings at tremendous flyweight.
On the undercard of Alexandro Santiago versus Junto Nakatani, Tanaka could be yet one more Japanese fighter on the roster to show victorious; successful the vacant WBO World Tremendous Flyweight title towards Christian Bacasegua Rangel, with the Mexican ‘Rocky’ succumbing to a unanimous resolution.
And, his ambitions have but to cease.
So, in consideration of his nicknames, Tanaka is a fighter that might naked the names ‘Dream Boy’ and ‘Monster of Chukyo’ in equal measure; he’s a boxer of multitudes, one who will solely hold going.
