Mizuki Hiruta Explained

Mizuki Hiruta
Height:5 ft 4 in
Nationality:Japanese
Birth Date:12 April 1996
Birth Place:Okayama, Japan
Style:Southpaw
Boxrec:899773
Total:6
Wins:6
Ko:2
Losses:0

is a Japanese professional boxer, who has held the WBO super flyweight title since 1 December 2022.

Amateur boxing career

Hiruta took up boxing while attending the Okayama Technical High School and continued to train while at the JSDF Physical Training School.[1] Hiruta was able to reach the finals of the 2016 All Japan Women's Championships, competing in the flyweight event, but was defeated by the 2014 World Championships bronze medalist Madoka Wada in the final bout of the tournament.[2] Hiruta participated in the next year's All Japan Women's Championship as well and although she was able to reach the finals for the second consecutive year, she once again suffered a loss at the hands on Madoka Wada.[3]

Hiruta won the gold medal in the flyweight event of the 2018 All Japan Women's Championships and in the featherweight event of the 2019 All Japan Women's Championships.[4] [5] She furthermore competed at the 2018 World Championships, but lost in the opening round of the tournament.[6] Hiruta ended her amateur career with a record of 29–16, with 13 victories coming by way of stoppage.[7]

Professional boxing career

Early career

Hiruta was discharged from the JSDF in March 2021 and acquired her B-class professional boxing license from the Japanese Boxing Commission in May 2021.[8] Hiruta made her professional boxing debut against the undefeated 4–0 Nanae Yamaka on 15 October 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding her all six rounds of the bout. Hiruta scored the sole knockdown of the fight in the opening round, as she floored her opponent with a right hook.[9]

Hiruta faced the three-time world title challenger Terumi Nuki on 12 April 2022, in what was the first eight-round bout of her career.[10] She won the fight by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 77–73 and one scorecard of 76–74. Hiruta was awarded rounds one through six, but suffered two knockdowns in the seventh round, which led to her losing the eighth round as well.[11]

Hiruta, who was at the time the top ranked flyweight contender according to the Japanese Boxing Commission, was booked to face the third-ranked contender Hinami Yanai for the vacant Japanese flyweight championship. The title bout was scheduled for the undercard of "Queen's Crest 2022", which took place at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on 1 September 2022.[12] Yanai weighed-in at 52. 1 kg at the official weigh-ins, 1.3 kg above the limit. She failed to make weight in her second attempt as well, coming in at 51.4 kg. This made her ineligible to capture the vacant belt.[13] Hiruta won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 60–54 in her favor.[14] Following this victory, the East Japan Boxing Association awarded her the "New Star" award for the month of September.[15]

WBO super flyweight champion

Hiruta vs. Taniyama

On 2 November 2022, a press conference was held, attended by Hiruta and the Japanese bantamweight champion Kanako Taniyama. At this press conference, it was revealed that the pair would face each other for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight championship. The title bout was scheduled as the main event of Victoriva.7, which took place at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on 1 December 2022 and was broadcast by BOXING RAISE.[16] [17] Hiruta won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the bout 100–89 in her favor, while the third judge awarded her a 99–90 scorecard.[18] On 8 February 2023, she was named the 2022 "Female Fighter of the Year" by a Japanese media members vote.[19]

Title reign

Hiruta made her maiden WBO championship defense against Casey Morton on 13 June 2023, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[20] She won the fight by a first-round knockout, only 63 seconds into the bout, after thrice knocking her opponent down.[21] On 12 January 2024, Hiruta won her second defense by TKO against Ji Hyun Park.[22]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
6Win6–0Ji Hyun ParkTKO6 (10), 12 Jan 2024
5Win5–0Casey MortonTKO1 (10), 13 Jun 2023
4Win4–0Kanako TaniyamaUD101 Dec 2022
3Win3–0Hinami YanaiUD61 Sep 2022
2Win2–0Terumi NukiUD812 Apr 2022
1Win1–0Nanae Yamaka615 Oct 2021

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 昼田瑞希「革命を起こせるよう頑張りたい」 入江聖奈の元ライバルがプロデビュー戦で圧勝/BOX . sanspo.com . 3 March 2023.
  2. Web site: 和田まどから3選手がV4達成 全日本女子選手権 . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  3. Web site: 晝田瑞希「私が主役」 . boxmob.jp . 3 March 2023.
  4. Web site: 仲田姉妹対決は姉の勝ち 高校生の入江聖奈シニアでV 長崎 全日本女子選手権 . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  5. Web site: 五輪5階級優勝者にベルト授与 全日本女子選手権 河野沙捺は和田まどかとのライバル対決制す . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  6. Web site: 2018年 AIBA女子世界選手権大会 . jabf-revival.com . 3 March 2023.
  7. Web site: 昼田瑞希が予告「私の方が強いから圧勝する」 プロ2戦目は東洋太平洋王者とノンタイトル戦/ボクシング . sanspo.com . 3 March 2023.
  8. Web site: 除隊5時間後には髪を赤く染めた晝田 男子アマ2冠の馬場とともに元自衛官2人が世界王者へ意欲【山崎照朝コラム】 . chunichi.co.jp . 3 March 2023.
  9. Web site: 晝田瑞希が白星デビュー「私はプロで革命」ライバル五輪金の入江聖奈も応援 . nikkansports.com . 3 March 2023.
  10. Web site: 晝田瑞希の2戦目が決定! . boxmob.jp . 3 March 2023.
  11. Web site: 【ボクシング】2度ダウンでヒヤリも、晝田が王者ぬきに勝利/渡来鮮やかデビュー/"輪島さんの孫"磯谷は54秒で2戦目も勝利 . bbm-japan.com . 3 March 2023.
  12. Web site: 9.1女子5大タイトルマッチ 世界戦は新旧王者対決 鈴木菜々江vs.黒木優子、宮尾綾香vs.岩川美花 . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  13. Web site: 入江聖奈のライバルだった晝田瑞希がプロ3戦目で初タイトル挑戦 金ネイルでベルトつかむ . sponichi.co.jp . 3 March 2023.
  14. Web site: 入江聖奈の元ライバル、晝田瑞希がプロ3戦目で日本王座獲得 ドレス入場にバック宙も披露 . sponichi.co.jp . 3 March 2023.
  15. Web site: 東洋太平洋バンタム級新チャンピオン 千葉開が月間MVP 平岡アンディは敢闘賞 . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  16. Web site: 「戦うナース」谷山佳菜子VSトップアマ晝田瑞希12・1WBO女子世界Sフライ級王座決定戦 . nikkansports.com . 3 March 2023.
  17. Web site: 〝闘うナース〟谷山佳菜子と元アマチュアエリートの昼田瑞希がWBO世界女子スーパーフライ級王座決定戦 プロ4戦目の昼田が勝てば日本女子最速タイ記録/ボクシング . sanspo.com . 3 March 2023.
  18. Web site: 晝田瑞希、国内最速タイ4戦目で世界王座獲得「最強のスーパースターに」入江聖奈の前でうれし涙 . nikkansports.com . 3 March 2023.
  19. Web site: 女子年間MVPはWBO・S・フライ級王者の晝田瑞希 年間最高試合賞とダブル受賞 . boxingnews.jp . 3 March 2023.
  20. Web site: Mizuki Hiruta expondrá título OMB ante Casey Morton el 13 de junio en Tokio . notifight.com . 30 May 2023.
  21. Web site: WBO女子S・フライ級王者の晝田瑞希が圧巻の初防衛 4度ダウン奪って63秒TKO勝ち . boxingnews.jp . 15 June 2023.
  22. News: 女子スーパーフライ級王者・晝田瑞希がV2 「大事な寿命使って見に来てくれてありがとう」 . January 30, 2024 . Sports Hochi . January 12, 2024.