Kotari and Urakawa tragedy shakes Japanese boxing

Earlier this month, connected August 2, Japanese boxers Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, some 28, fought astatine the aforesaid lawsuit astatine Korakuen Hall successful Tokyo. Kotari, a ace featherweight, was boxing for the archetypal clip successful a 12-round bout, portion Urakawa, a lightweight, was looking to triumph an eight-round bout.

Kotari’s bout ended successful a draw, portion Urakawa mislaid by method knockout successful the last round. However, that nighttime successful Tokyo was not conscionable a sporting event; some men died successful infirmary a fewer days aboriginal aft undergoing botched encephalon surgery.

Tragic incidents similar this, portion rare, bash hap successful boxing. However, the information that Kotari and Urakawa past entered the ringing connected the aforesaid nighttime has fixed added attraction to the contented and underscored the request for alteration successful the sport.

These events person profoundly affected Japanese boxing. They onslaught astatine the halfway of the sport, amusement its dangers and stress the request for further information measures.

Tsuyoshi Yasukochi reacts

The wide caput of the Japan Boxing Commission, Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, makes it wide however overmuch alteration is needed. He suggested that the aboriginal of boxing successful Japan whitethorn beryllium successful jeopardy if the tragic events of August 2nd are not decently addressed.

"If we don't amended things, this athletics volition not beryllium capable to survive," Yasukochi told The Japan Times.

"If the radical progressive successful this athletics cannot marque changes, we volition person to stop. I recognize that we are astatine a captious infinitesimal wherever a athletics that has been astir for 100 years whitethorn disappear. I deliberation everyone works each time with that thought successful mind. "

" When idiosyncratic dies, it has a immense impact. If you don't consciousness it, past you are not qualified to beryllium portion of boxing. Some mightiness accidental that this is simply a athletics wherever specified accidents tin happen, but we cannot let ourselves to deliberation that way. "

" These things are happening each the clip and we cannot constitute them disconnected arsenic coincidences. We request to analyse the causes and negociate the consequences. "

Japanese boxing is frankincense facing a large challenge. Experts and officials are making it wide that if urgent measures are not taken, the aboriginal of a athletics that has been astir for much than a period could beryllium earnestly jeopardized.