Kosei Tanaka
Kosei Tanaka | |
---|---|
Born | 田中恒成 June 15, 1995 |
Nationality | Japanese |
Other names | Chukyo no Kaibutu (中京の怪物) "Monster of Chukyo" |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | |
Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 12 |
Wins | 12 |
Wins by KO | 7 |
Losses | 0 |
Kosei Tanaka (田中 恒成, Tanaka Kōsei) is a Japanese professional boxer. He is a three-weight world champion, having currently held the WBO flyweight title since 2018. He previously held the WBO minimumweight title from 2015 to 2016 and the WBO junior-flyweight title from 2016 to 2017. Along with Vasyl Lomachenko, he is the fastest ever fighter to win titles in three weight-classes, having accomplished the feat in just 12 bouts.
Career
Tanaka won several national championships at the amateur level in the light flyweight weight class. He progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2012 AIBA Youth World Championships before losing to Lalitha Prasad Pollipalli.
Minimumweight
Tanaka turned pro at the age of 18 in 2013. In November 2014, Tanaka defeated previously unbeaten Ryuji Hara by round 10 TKO to win the OPBF minimumweight title. In his next fight, Tanaka decisioned Julian Yedras (117-111, 117-111, 115-113) to win the WBO minimumweight title.[1] Tanaka holds the Japanese record for winning a world title in the fewest number of fights, at 5 fights.[2] Tanaka's only title defense at minimumweight came against Vic Saludar, whom he knocked out in round 6 after a left hook to the body. Saludar knocked down Tanaka in round 6, and had won every round on all scorecards prior to the stoppage.[3]
Junior-flyweight
In December 2016, Tanaka challenged former minimumweight title holder Moisés Fuentes for the WBO junior-flyweight title. Tanaka dominated Fuentes, dropping him in round 5 before referee Raul Caiz Jr stopped the fight, giving Tanaka a TKO victory. With the win, Tanaka became a two-weight world champion in just 8 fights.[4] Tanaka's first defense came against prospect Ángel Acosta. The former won a wide unanimous decision (117-110, 117-110, 116-111) and dropped Acosta once. Acosta had won all 16 of his previous fights by knockout.[5]
Tanaka's second defense took place in September 2017 against little-known fighter Palangpol CP Freshmart. Tanaka was a huge favorite going into the fight, but Palangpol would prove to be Tanaka's toughest challenger so far, dropping the defending champion once in the first round and trading back-and-forth combinations for the rest of the bout. After a thrilling fight, Tanaka would finally gain the upper hand in round 9, as he knocked down Palangpol and continued to land big combinations as the challenger struggled to connect. Eventually, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight at 1:52 in round 9.[6][7][8]
Tanaka had previously sought a unification bout against WBA titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi in December,[9] but his injuries during the fight against Palangpol would prevent him from fighting on that date.[10]
Flyweight
In December 2017, Tanaka vacated his junior-flyweight title to move to the flyweight division.[11] In September 2018, Tanaka defeated Sho Kimura to equal Vasyl Lomachenko's record of becoming a three-weight world champion in just 12 fights.
Professional boxing record
12 fights | 12 wins | 0 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 7 | 0 |
By decision | 5 | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | Win | 12–0 | Sho Kimura | MD | 12 | 24 Sep 2018 | Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya, Japan | Won WBO flyweight title |
12 | Win | 11–0 | Ronnie Baldonado | TKO | 9 (10), 2:26 | 31 Mar 2018 | International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Japan | |
10 | Win | 10–0 | Palangpol CP Freshmart | TKO | 9 (12), 1:29 | 13 Sep 2017 | Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan | Retained WBO junior-flyweight title |
9 | Win | 9–0 | Ángel Acosta | UD | 12 | 20 May 2017 | Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya, Japan | Retained WBO junior-flyweight title |
8 | Win | 8–0 | Moisés Fuentes | TKO | 5 (12), 1:52 | 31 Dec 2016 | Memorial Hall, Gifu, Japan | Won vacant WBO junior-flyweight title |
7 | Win | 7–0 | Rene Patilano | KO | 6 (10), 2:23 | 28 May 2016 | International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Japan | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | Vic Saludar | KO | 6 (12), 2:15 | 31 Dec 2015 | Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, Japan | Retained WBO minimumweight title |
5 | Win | 5–0 | Julian Yedras | UD | 12 | 30 May 2015 | Park Arena, Komaki, Japan | Won vacant WBO minimumweight title |
4 | Win | 4–0 | Ryuji Hara | TKO | 10 (12), 0:50 | 30 Oct 2014 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won OPBF minimumweight title |
3 | Win | 3–0 | Crison Omayao | KO | 1 (10), 1:55 | 20 Jul 2014 | International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Japan | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Ronelle Ferreras | UD | 8 | 16 Mar 2014 | International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Japan | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | Oscar Raknafa | UD | 6 | 10 Nov 2013 | International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Japan |
See also
- List of boxing triple champions
- List of WBO world champions
- List of minimumweight boxing champions
- List of light flyweight boxing champions
- List of flyweight boxing champions
- List of Japanese boxing world champions
- Boxing in Japan
References
- ^ http://www.asianboxing.info/kosei-tanaka.html
- ^ Salazar, Victor (June 1, 2015). "19-year-old unbeaten Japanese, Kosei Tanaka Wins WBO Title". Tha Boxing Voice. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- ^ http://www.boxingscene.com/kosei-tanaka-climbs-off-canvas-stop-vic-saludar-six--99909
- ^ http://www.boxingscene.com/tanaka-blasts-fuentes-becomes-two-division-champ-8-fights-results--112239
- ^ http://www.boxingscene.com/kosei-tanaka-drops-decisions-angel-acosta-retain-results--116767
- ^ https://www.badlefthook.com/2017/9/13/16303222/ryosuke-iwasa-stops-yukinori-oguni-kosei-tanaka-retains-despite-knockdown
- ^ https://www.ringtv.com/516784-tanaka-climbs-off-deck-stop-chayanram-iwasa-wins-junior-feather-belt/
- ^ http://www.asianboxing.info/world-title-results/kosei-tanaka-dropped-cut-and-damaged-but-guts-out-thrilling-win
- ^ http://www.asianboxing.info/world-title-results/taguchi-dominates-barrera-moves-towards-unification-with-kosei-tanaka
- ^ http://www.asianboxing.info/asian-news/kosei-tanaka-suffers-suspected-orbital-fracture-no-brain-injury-suspected
- ^ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/12/01/more-sports/boxing-2/wbo-light-flyweight-champ-kosei-tanaka-relinquishes-title-eyes-flyweight-crown-source/
External links
- Boxing record for Kosei Tanaka from BoxRec (registration required)
- Asian Boxing Profile of Tanaka