Akira Yaegashi

Akira Yaegashi (八重樫 東, Yaegashi Akira, born February 25, 1983) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2019.[1] He was a three-weight world champion, having held the WBA mini-flyweight title from 2011 to 2012, the WBC and The Ring flyweight titles from 2013 to 2014, and the IBF light-flyweight title from 2015 to 2016. He is an alumnus of the Takushoku University.[2][3]

Akira Yaegashi
Statistics
Real name八重樫東
Nickname(s)Sonic Fist
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Reach65 in (165 cm)
Born (1983-02-25) February 25, 1983
Kitakami, Iwate, Japan
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights35
Wins28
Wins by KO16
Losses7

Professional career

Yaegashi finished his amateur career with a record of 56–14 after winning the Inter-High School Championship and the National Sports Festival of Japan. His professional debut was at the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in March 2005.[4] He won the vacant OPBF mini-flyweight title there via a fifth-round technical knockout in April 2006 and defended the title once before vacating it.[2]

In his first world title shot against the WBC mini-flyweight champion Eagle Kyowa at the Pacifico Yokohama in June 2007, Yaegashi lost for the first time by a wide points margin after suffering a broken TMJ[2] in two places due to an accidental headbutt in the second round.[5]

After a nearly eleven-month absence from the ring, Yaegashi restarted his career, but lost in the semi-final match of the annual Japanese title elimination tournament nicknamed "The Strongest in Korakuen" at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo in July 2008. It was in June 2009 that Yaegashi won the vacant Japanese mini-flyweight title at the IMP Hall in Osaka. He defended the title three times before returning it.[2]

Yaegashi won the WBA mini-flyweight title in his second world title shot against Thai's Pornsawan Porpramook via a tenth-round technical knockout at the Korakuen Hall on October 24, 2011.[6] It was a very tough fight.[7] Before the final round began, Yaegashi's manager Ohashi said to him "Come back for your son". The fight earned accolades from international media, winning Fight of the Year honors from ESPN.com[8] and BoxingScene.com,[9] as well as the WBA's award for Most Dramatic Fight of 2011.[10]

On June 20, 2012, in a match that marked the first time two Japanese fighters had met to unify world titles, he lost to the WBC champion Kazuto Ioka via a unanimous decision at the Bodymaker Colosseum.[11][12][13] When asked whether the result would have been different unless he got swollen eyes, Yaegashi said "We should not think about it. There is no if's in boxing".[14] The day after the fight, Ioka decided to move up a weight division. So, Yaegashi's team hope the rematch with Ioka in a higher division as their second unification bout. First, Yaegashi aims to win a world championship again.[15][16]

Yaegashi returned to the ring in a light-flyweight bout at the Korakuen Hall on January 5, 2013, to knock out Saenmuangloei Kokietgym in the ninth round.[17][18]

Yaegashi became a two-weight class champion when he defeated defending WBC and The Ring flyweight champion, Toshiyuki Igarashi in a unanimous decision on April 8, 2013, in Tokyo, Japan.[19][20] On 12 August 2013, Yaegashi successfully defended his title by defeating Mexican fighter Oscar Blanquet. Yaegashi floored Blanquet in the 8th round on his way to a points victory.[21]

Yaegashi became a three-weight world champion after defeating IBF light-flyweight champion Javier Mendoza via unanimous decision.

Professional boxing record
35 fights 28 wins 7 losses
By knockout 16 4
By decision 12 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
35 Loss 28–7 Moruti Mthalane TKO 9 (12), 2:54 Dec 23, 2019 Yokohama Arena, Japan For IBF flyweight title
34 Win 28–6 Sahaphap Bunop TKO 2 (10), 2:25 Apr 8, 2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
33 Win 27–6 Hirofumi Mukai TKO 7 (10), 2:55 Aug 17, 2018 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
32 Win 26–6 Frans Damur Palue TKO 2 (10), 2:24 Mar 26, 2018 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
31 Loss 25–6 Milan Melindo TKO 1 (12), 2:45 May 21, 2017 Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Lost IBF light-flyweight title
30 Win 25–5 Wittawas Basapean TKO 12 (12), 2:13 Dec 30, 2016 Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Retained IBF light-flyweight title
29 Win 24–5 Martin Tecuapetla SD 12 May 8, 2016 Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Retained IBF light-flyweight title
28 Win 23–5 Javier Mendoza UD 12 Dec 29, 2015 Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Won IBF light-flyweight title
27 Win 22–5 Said Fahdafi KO 3 (10), 1:10 Aug 20, 2015 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
26 Win 21–5 Songseanglek Phosuwangym TKO 2 (8), 2:05 May 1, 2015 Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
25 Loss 20–5 Pedro Guevara KO 7 (12), 2:45 Dec 30, 2014 Metropolitan Gym, Tokyo, Japan For vacant WBC light-flyweight title
24 Loss 20–4 Román González TKO 9 (12), 2:24 Sep 5, 2014 Yoyogi #2 Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan Lost WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
23 Win 20–3 Odilon Zaleta KO 9 (12), 2:14 Apr 6, 2014 Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan Retained WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
22 Win 19–3 Édgar Sosa UD 12 Dec 6, 2013 Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan Retained WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
21 Win 18–3 Oscar Blanquet UD 12 Aug 12, 2013 Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan Retained WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
20 Win 17–3 Toshiyuki Igarashi UD 12 Apr 8, 2013 Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan Won WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
19 Win 16–3 Saenmuangloei Kokietgym KO 9 (10), 2:52 Jan 5, 2013 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
18 Loss 15–3 Kazuto Ioka UD 12 Jun 20, 2012 Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan Lost WBA mini-flyweight title;
For WBC mini-flyweight title
17 Win 15–2 Pornsawan Porpramook TKO 10 (12), 2:38 Oct 24, 2011 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Won WBA mini-flyweight title
16 Win 14–2 Norihito Tanaka UD 10 Apr 2, 2011 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained Japanese mini-flyweight title
15 Win 13–2 Kosuke Takeichi UD 10 May 1, 2010 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained Japanese mini-flyweight title
14 Win 12–2 Junichiro Kaneda UD 10 Sep 5, 2009 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained Japanese mini-flyweight title
13 Win 11–2 Kenichi Horikawa UD 10 Jun 21, 2009 IMP Hall, Osaka, Japan Won vacant Japanese mini-flyweight title
12 Win 10–2 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai TKO 3 (8), 2:11 Mar 17, 2009 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
11 Win 9–2 Takumi Suda UD 8 Oct 18, 2008 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10 Win 8–2 Thongthailek Sor Tanapinyo TKO 2 (8), 2:35 Sep 15, 2008 Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan
8 Loss 7–2 Masatate Tsuji MD 6 Jul 1, 2008 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
8 Win 7–1 Yasuhiro Hisada UD 10 Apr 30, 2008 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
7 Loss 6–1 Eagle Den Junlaphan UD 12 Jun 4, 2007 Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan For WBC mini-flyweight title
6 Win 6–0 Liempetch Sor Veerapol KO 1 (12), 2:55 Sep 18, 2006 Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan Retained WBC-OPBF mini-flyweight title
5 Win 5–0 Weerasak Chuwatana KO 5 (12), 2:19 Apr 3, 2006 Bunka Gym, Yokohama, Japan Won vacant WBC-OPBF mini-flyweight title
4 Win 4–0 Elmer Gejon UD 10 Dec 5, 2005 Bunka Gym, Yokohama, Japan
3 Win 3–0 Danchai Sithsaithong KO 2 (8), 1:38 Aug 22, 2005 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2 Win 2–0 Poonsawat Eausampan KO 1 (8), 2:50 May 18, 2005 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1 Win 1–0 Omoyoshi Nakayama KO 1 (6), 1:20 Mar 26, 2005 Bunka Gym, Yokohama, Japan

Exhibition boxing record
3 fights 0 wins 0 losses
Non-scored 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
3 — 0–0 (3) Taku Kuwahara — 2 28 Nov 2020 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Non-scored bout
2 — 0–0 (2) Katsuki Mori — 2 1 Jul 2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Non-scored bout
1 — 0–0 (1) Naoya Inoue — 2 19 May 2014 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Non-scored bout

Recognitions
  • 2011 ESPN.com Fight of the Year[8]
  • 2011 BoxingScene.com Fight of the Year[9]
  • 2011 WBA Most Dramatic Fight[10]

See also

References
  1. Donovan, Jake (1 September 2020). "Akira Yaegashi, Former Three-Division Champ, Announces Retirement". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. 選手データ (in Japanese). Boxing Mobile (East Japan Boxing Association). 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  3. 八重樫、リーチ11センチ劣る ダブル世界戦予備検診 (in Japanese). Boxing News (Boxing Beat editorial department). August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  4. 選手紹介 (in Japanese). Ohashi Boxing Gym. 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  5. "八重樫TKOで岩手出身初の世界王者!". Daily Sports (in Japanese). October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  6. "Pornsawan loses WBA title". Bangkok Post. October 25, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  7. Pornsawan Porpramook vs. Yaeagshi (Links to YouTube video) (in Japanese). TV Tokyo. October 24, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  8. Dan Rafael (December 30, 2011). "Fight of year: Yaegashi-Porpramook". ESPN. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  9. Cliff Rold (January 3, 2012). "BoxingScene's 2011 Year-End Awards: Fight of The Year". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  10. Kittipong Thongsombat (February 4, 2012). "Ex-champion Khaosai named WBA legend". Bangkok Post. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  11. Corey Erdman (June 20, 2012). "Ioka bests valiant Yaegashi to unify strawweight titles". RingTV.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  12. Mark Ortega (June 20, 2012). "Kazuto Ioka Decisions One-Eyed Akira Yaegashi In Minimumweight Title Tilt". Queensberry-Rules.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  13. Jake Donovan (June 20, 2012). "Kazuto Ioka Outlasts Akira Yaegashi In A War". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  14. 藤原 翔 (June 20, 2012). 敗者、八重樫に涙なし 「またイチから…」 (in Japanese). MSN Sankei News. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  15. 井岡と八重樫 ライトフライ級で再戦誓う. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  16. 八重樫「悔しい」井岡との再戦に意欲 (in Japanese). Daily Sports. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012. (includes photo)
  17. Jake Donovan (January 5, 2013). "Akira Yaegashi A Knockout Winner In Ring Return". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  18. Joe Koizumi (January 5, 2013). "Inoue finishes Thai champ Ngaoprajan in one". Fightnews.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  19. "Akira Yaegashi - Lineal Flyweight Champion". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia.
  20. "Yaegashi outclasses Igarashi to nab WBC flyweight title". Japan Times. April 9, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  21. "Yaegashi keeps WBC flyweight crown". Arab News. August 12, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
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