Two Boxers Die After Suffering Brain Injuries in Same Event

Two Japanese boxers have died days apart of brain injuries suffered during the same fight night in Tokyo. The deaths prompted immediate changes to boxing regulations in Japan, ESPN reports. The situation:

• Shigetoshi Kotari: The 28-year-old battled Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion Yamato Hata to a 12-round draw on Aug. 2 at Korakuen Hall but lost consciousness soon after the final bell. He was rushed to surgery for a subdural hematoma—a condition in which blood pools between the brain and skull—but died Friday. The World Boxing Organization offered condolences on social media, describing him as "a warrior in the ring."

• Hiromasa Urakawa: In a separate fight on the same card, Urakawa, also 28, was knocked out by Yoji Saito and underwent a craniotomy to treat a similar brain injury. He died Saturday. The WBO acknowledged his death, per ESPN, noting the rare occurrence of two athletes succumbing to injuries from the same event and extended sympathy to the fighters' families.
• Third death of 2025: In February, John Cooney, an Irish boxer, died a week after receiving a brain injury during a fight.

• Changes: The Japanese Boxing Commission announced that all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title matches now will top out at 10 rounds instead of 12, aiming to reduce risk for competitors. The events have prompted reflection within the sport, which is no stranger to the dangers of head trauma but seldom sees such loss in such close succession. Japanese media reports the commission plans to meet in September on the issue, per the BBC. Other changes advocated include making post-fight medical scans mandatory and stricter enforcement to make sure concussion protocols are followed, per Deutsche Welle.