Emergency gathering called by Japanese boxing authorities after multiple fatalities
The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) has announced a series of safety measures and discussions in response to the recent tragic deaths of two Japanese boxers, Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, who suffered fatal brain injuries following a fight at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2.
Key actions and discussions include:
- Reducing title bouts from 12 to 10 rounds for all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) fights, to lessen cumulative injury risk during intense, long fights. This change was driven by concerns over enhanced offensive power and early fierce exchanges that could increase danger in longer bouts.
- Introducing stricter rules on weight loss, including mandatory urine tests to detect dehydration before fights, aimed at preventing extreme dehydration that makes the brain more vulnerable to bleeding, which was highlighted as a probable contributing factor in the deaths.
- Requirement for ambulances and readiness of hospitals on-site to promptly handle emergency surgeries for head injuries during events, signaling improved emergency response preparedness.
- Conducting further MRIs for injured or heavily punished fighters before allowing them to return to the ring, to monitor brain injuries more closely.
- Holding discussions with gym officials and trainers to understand and possibly regulate weight loss methods and pre-bout conditioning routines, recognizing these may be causally linked to the fatalities.
- Planning an investigation into the recent fatalities and updating prevention guidelines based on findings, with a safety meeting involving doctors from professional and amateur boxing commissions to align and enhance safety protocols.
Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC, emphasized their responsibility and commitment to taking "whatever measures we can" to avoid further tragedies and improve boxer safety. The JBC is expected to have talks about safety in the near future.
Japanese media have highlighted the risks associated with fighters dehydrating to lose weight rapidly before weigh-ins. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper quoted Yasukochi as saying that Japanese boxing's offensive power is tremendous, which he believes might make 12 rounds dangerous due to the offensive power of Japanese boxing.
These measures come as the JBC acknowledges its responsibility to manage the sport and will take necessary measures to ensure the safety of its boxers. The commission will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss these issues further.
- The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) is planning to conduct further MRIs for injured or heavily punished fighters before allowing them to return to the ring, as part of their efforts to closely monitor medical-conditions and enhance health-and-wellness in sports.
- The Japanese media have raised concerns about the risks associated with fighters dehydrating to lose weight rapidly before weigh-ins, an issue that the JBC acknowledges and intends to address through stricter rules on weight loss, including mandatory urine tests, as part of their commitment to promote safety in sports.
