Shokichi Iwata

Shokichi Iwata (岩田翔吉, Iwata Shokichi, born 2 February 1996) is a Japanese professional boxer, who held the OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight titles in 2022. He is a one-time WBO light-flyweight title challenger, having fought for the title in 2022.

Shokichi Iwata
岩田翔吉
Statistics
Weight(s)Light-flyweight
Height5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
NationalityJapanese
Born (1996-02-02) February 2, 1996
Shibuya, Japan
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record[1]
Total fights11
Wins10
Wins by KO7
Losses1

Early life and amateur career

Iwata became interested in combat sports at the age of 9, after meeting Norifumi Yamamoto. He took up boxing in his second year of middle school.[2] He won the U-15 national boxing tournament while in the third year of middle school.[3]

After graduating from middle school, Iwata attended the Hiji High School. During his high school amateur career, he achieved notable victories against Takuma Inoue and Kosei Tanaka, and won the national boxing tournament while in the third year of high school.[4][5] After graduating from high school, Iwata entered the Sport Sciences course at the Waseda University on a sports recommendation.[6]

Professional boxing career

Early career

Iwata made his professional debut against Joel Bermudez on 8 December 2018, at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. He won the fight by a fourth-round knockout.[7] He made his debut in the United States, as he was only given his domestic boxing license by the JBC on 31 January 2019, which allowed him to compete in Japan.[8]

Iwata faced the 2018 All Japan Light Flyweight "Rookie of the Year" Daiki Kameyama on 4 May 2019, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges awarding him a 59-54 scorecard, while the third judge scored it 58–56. Although he had won nearly every round of the bout, Iwata appeared dissatisfied with his performance, stating "I wanted to hit the body a little more".[9]

Iwata was scheduled to face Paolo Sy on 12 July 2019, at the EDION Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan, on the undercard of the WBA middleweight title fight between Rob Brant and Ryota Murata. He won the fight by a fifth-round technical knockout. Iwata suffered a cut above his right eye in the third round, due to an accidental clash of heads.[10]

Iwata faced Alejandro Cruz Valladares on 7 November 2019, in the featured bout of the Nonito Donaire and Naoya Inoue bantamweight title bout undercard. He won the fight by a fifth-round technical knockout, stopping Valladares with a flurry of punches at the 2:10 minute mark.[11]

Iwata was scheduled to face Ryo Narizuka on 2 October 2020. He won the fight by a seventh-round technical knockout.[12] Iwata was next scheduled to face Toshimasa Ouchi on 5 June 2021. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 78–73, 79–72 and 78–73.[13]

Japanese champion

Iwata was expected to face Rikito Shiba for the vacant Japanese light-flyweight title on 11 September 2021, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The fight had to be postponed the day before however, as Iwata tested positive for COVID-19 after successfully making weight.[14] The title bout was postponed for 5 November 2021.[15] Iwata won the first ten-round fight of his career by a ninth-round technical knockout. He knocked Shiba down in the sixth round, and appeared to once again knock him down in the eight round as well, although the second knockdown was ruled a slip by referee Tetsuya Iida. Immediately after action resumed in the ninth-round, Iwata forced Shiba back with a flurry of punches which forced the referee to wave the fight off.[16]

Iwata was booked to make his first Japanese light-flyweight title defense in a rematch with Toshimasa Ouchi. The fight was scheduled as the headliner of the March 5, 2022, "Dynamic Glove" event, and was broadcast by G+.[17] Iwata won the fight by a first-round knockout, flooring Ouchi with a counter right hand. Although Ouchi was able to rise from the canvas in time, he was unsteady on his feet, which prompted the referee to wave the bout off.[18] Iwata was awarded the MVP award for the month of March by the East Japan Boxing Association, following this victory.[19]

Japanese, WBO AP and OPBF champion

Iwata was booked to make his second Japanese title defense in a title unification bout with the OPBF light-flyweight champion Kenichi Horikawa at the Korakuen Hall on July 2, 2022. Aside from the Japanese and OPBF titles, the vacant WBO Asia Pacific title will be contested as well.[20] Iwata won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 118–110, 117–111 and 116–112.[21] He was given the July "Fighter of the Month" award by the East Japan Boxing Commission following this victory.[22] On August 19, 2022, the Japanese Boxing Association gave him the "Skill Award" for the year 2022.[23]

Iwata vs. González

On 3 September 2022, it was announced that Iwata would challenge the reigning WBO light flyweight champion Jonathan González. Their fight was scheduled as the co-main event of the Kenshiro Teraji and Hiroto Kyoguchi light flyweight unification bout, which took place on 1 November 2022.[24] He lost the fight by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 116–112 and one scorecard of 117–111.[25]

Post title reign

Iwata faced Jerome Baloro on the undercard of "WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT" on 1 April 2023.[26] He won the fight by a third-round knockout.[27]

Professional boxing record
11 fights 10 wins 1 loss
By knockout 7 0
By decision 3 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
11 Win 10–1 Jerome Baloro KO 3 (10), 1:07 1 Apr 2023 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10 Loss 9–1 Jonathan González UD 12 1 Nov 2022 Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan For WBO light-flyweight title
9 Win 9–0 Kenichi Horikawa UD 12 2 July 2022 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained Japanese light-flyweight title
Won OPBF and vacant WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight titles
8 Win 8–0 Toshimasa Ouchi KO 1 (10), 1:12 5 Mar 2022 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained Japanese light-flyweight title
7 Win 7–0 Rikito Shiba TKO 9 (10), 0:37 6 Nov 2021 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Won vacant Japanese light-flyweight title
6 Win 6–0 Toshimasa Ouchi UD 8 5 Jun 2021 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
5 Win 5–0 Ryo Narizuka TKO 7 (8), 0:38 2 Oct 2020 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
4 Win 4–0 Alejandro Cruz Valladares TKO 5 (6), 2:10 7 Nov 2019 Super Arena, Saitama, Japan
3 Win 3–0 Paolo Sy TKO 5 (6), 1:25 12 Jul 2019 EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2 Win 2–0 Daiki Kameyama UD 6 4 May 2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1 Win 1–0 Joel Bermudez KO 4 (4), 2:44 8 Dec 2018 StubHub Center, Carson, U.S.

References
  1. "Boxing record for Shokichi Iwata
    岩田翔吉"    . BoxRec.
  2. "今は無名の"神の子の子"岩田翔吉が米デビューへ". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  3. "Ｕ－15全国大会熱戦　後楽園ホール". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. "早大生ボクサー岩田翔吉、１２月８日米国デビュー「将来は視聴率が取れるように」". hochi.news. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  5. "田中恒成、井上拓真を倒した男が満を持しプロテスト". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  6. "ボクシング部". wasedasports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  7. "竹中良がタイで勝利　岩田翔吉はアメリカで初陣飾る". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  8. "岩田翔吉がプロテスト合格　国内での試合が可能に". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  9. "末吉大が日本S･フェザー級V4　大里拳は健闘及ばず". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  10. "岩田翔吉「早く世界のトップと」５回ＴＫＯで３連勝". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. "岩田翔吉ＴＫＯでプロ４連勝「日本王座挑戦したい」". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  12. "元王者の粟生隆寛さんセコンド"デビュー戦"快勝". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  13. "赤穂亮「これからも世界目指す」"ポリスボクサー"杉田ダイスケに豪快KO勝ち". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  14. "仕切り直しの日本L･フライ級戦　芝力人vs.岩田翔吉は11月6日に決定". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. "【ボクシング】岩田翔吉のコロナ感染で仕切り直し日本Lフライ級王座決定戦 芝力人とともに計量クリア". chunichi.co.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. "【ボクシング】岩田翔吉が"飛び道具"抜きで快勝。７戦目で日本王座に到達". news.yahoo.co.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  17. "日本Ｌフライ級王者・岩田翔吉が３月５日に初防衛戦 同級３位・大内淳雅と昨年６月以来、２度目の対戦". hochi.news. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  18. "岩田翔吉72秒殺で初防衛成功「必ず世界王者に」４度目日本王座挑戦・大内淳雅との再戦制す". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  19. "日本L･フライ級王者の岩田翔吉が3月MVP　敢闘賞はジロリアン陸". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  20. "7.2ライト･フライ級3冠戦　OPBF王者の堀川謙一と日本王者の岩田翔吉が激突". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  21. "岩田翔吉がL･フライ級アジア3冠王者に　ベテラン堀川謙一とフルラウンド攻防制す". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  22. "L･フライ級アジア3冠獲得の岩田翔吉が7月MVP　新鋭賞はランカーから勝利の亀山大輝". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  23. "阿部麗也がチャンピオンカーニバルMVP　技能賞 岩田翔吉、敢闘賞 宇津木秀、殊勲賞 小畑武尊". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  24. "11.1さいたまダブル世界戦　岩田翔吉はWBO･L･フライ級王座挑戦「圧倒的に勝つ！」". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  25. "岩田翔吉、世界初挑戦は判定負け　早大出身の初世界王者ならず／ライブ速報詳細". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  26. "再び世界へ、尾川堅一＆岩田翔吉もあす登場　U-NEXTのダイナミック". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
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