Yuko Kuroki (黒木優子, Kuroki Yuko, born 28 March 1991) is a Japanese professional boxer who is a former two-weight World champion having held the WBC female minimumweight title as well as the WBO and WBA female atomweight titles during her career.

Yuko Kuroki
Born (1991-03-28) 28 March 1991 (age 33)[3]
NationalityJapanese
Statistics
Weight(s)Minimumweight, Atomweight
Height158 cm (5 ft 2 in)[1]
Reach158 cm (62 in)[1]
StanceSouthpaw[1]
Boxing record[2]
Total fights32
Wins22
Wins by KO9
Losses8
Draws2

Career

edit

A professional boxer since 2008, Kuroki first challenged for a World title when she took on IBF female minimumweight title holder Etsuko Tada at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, on 3 March 2013, losing by unanimous decision.[4][5]

However, she did not have to wait long to get her hands on a global belt as she won the WBC female minimumweight World title on 17 May 2014, beating defending champion Mari Ando by unanimous decision at Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan.[6][7]

After five successful defenses, she lost her title on 17 December 2017, to Momo Koseki slipping to a unanimous decision defeat at Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan.[8][9]

Moving down a weight division, Kuroki faced Saemi Hanagata at Korakuen Hall on 29 September 2018, with the vacant IBF female atomweight World title on the line. She lost by split decision with one ringside judge scoring the bout 96–95 in her favour while the other two gave the contest 96–94 for her opponent.[10][11]

Kuroki claimed the WBO female atomweight World title on 1 September 2022, winning via unanimous decision against Nanae Suzuki at Korakuen Hall.[12][13] At the same venue on 30 March 2023, she defended the title in a rematch with Suzuki, again taking a unanimous decision win.[14] [15]

On 5 August 2023, Kuroki became a unified World champion when she defeated WBA female atomweight title holder Monserrat Alarcón by majority decision at Central Gym, Kobe, Japan. Two judges scored 96-94 for Kuroki while the third had the fight a 95–95 tie.[16][17]

Returning to Korakuen Hall on 12 January 2024, she lost her titles to Eri Matsuda going down by split decision with one judge giving her the contest 96-94 but the other two awarding it to Matsuda 96-94 and 97–93.[18][19]

Professional boxing record

edit
32 fights 22 wins 8 losses
By knockout 9 0
By decision 13 8
Draws 2
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
32 Loss 22–8–2 Eri Matsuda SD 10 (10) 12 January 2024 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Lost the WBO and WBA female atomweight World titles
31 Win 22–7–2 Monserrat Alarcón MD 10 (10) 5 August 2023 Central Gym, Kobe, Japan Retained the WBO female atomweight World title and won the WBA female atomweight World title
30 Win 21–7–2 Nanae Suzuki UD 10 (10) 30 March 2023 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained the WBO female atomweight World title
29 Win 20–7–2 Nanae Suzuki UD 10 (10) 1 September 2022 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Won the WBO female atomweight World title
28 Win 19–7–2 Sothita Sitthichai TKO 2 (8) 28 May 2022 Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand
27 Loss 18–7–2 Mizuki Chimoto MD 8 (8) 7 June 2021 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan For the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation female minimumweight title
26 Draw 18–6–2 Nao Ikeyama SD 8 (8) 14 April 2019 KBS Hall, Kyoto, Japan
25 Loss 18–6–1 Saemi Hanagata SD 10 (10) 29 September 2018 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan For the vacant IBF female atomweight World title
24 Win 18–5–1 Momoko Kanda UD 8 (8) 17 April 2018 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
23 Loss 17–5–1 Momo Koseki UD 10 (10) 17 December 2017 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan Lost the WBC female minimumweight World title
22 Win 17–4–1 Mari Ando UD 10 (10) 18 December 2016 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan Retained the WBC female minimumweight World title
21 Win 16–4–1 Norj Guro KO 8 (10) 6 June 2016 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Retained the WBC female minimumweight World title
20 Win 15–4–1 Nancy Franco UD 10 (10) 20 December 2015 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan Retained the WBC female minimumweight World title
19 Win 14–4–1 Kanittha Ninthim TKO 3 (8) 16 August 2015 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
18 Win 13–4–1 Masae Akitaya UD 10 (10) 9 May 2015 Aqua Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, Japan Retained the WBC female minimumweight World title
17 Win 12–4–1 Katia Gutiérrez SD 10 (10) 1 November 2014 Acros, Fukuoka, Japan Retained the WBC female [minimumweight World title
16 Win 11–4–1 Mari Ando UD 10 (10) 17 May 2014 Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan Won the WBC female minimumweight World title
15 Win 10–4–1 Aisah Alico TKO 3 (8) 16 March 2014 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
14 Draw 9–4–1 Saemi Hanagata SD 10 (10) 13 December 2013 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan For the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation female minimumweight title
13 Loss 9–4 Saemi Hanagata UD 10 (10) 24 June 2013 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
12 Loss 9–3 Etsuko Tada UD 10 (10) 3 March 2013 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan For the WBO female minimumweight World title
11 Win 9–2 Mika Oda TKO 2 (8) 16 November 2012 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10 Win 8–2 Amara Naktaku UD 10 (10) 25 December 2011 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
9 Win 7–2 Wassana Kamdee TKO 4 (10) 8 July 2011 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan Won the WBC female atomweight Youth title
8 Win 6–2 Na Kyung Kim TKO 3 (8) 8 May 2011 Accion, Fukuoka, Japan
7 Win 5–2 Qi Liu KO 3 (6) 26 December 2010 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
6 Win 4–2 Rinks Nakahara UD 4 (4) 17 October 2010 Prefectural Gymnasium, Kurume, Japan
5 Win 3–2 Dalin Liu UD 4 (4) 23 May 2010 Accion, Fukuoka, Japan
4 Win 2–2 Amy Berezowski TKO 2 (4) 19 December 2009 Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
3 Loss 1–2 Naoko Shibata MD 4 (4) 26 June 2009 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2 Win 1–1 Natsume Yokozeki UD 4 (4) 5 April 2009 Clover Plaza, Kasuga, Fukuoka, Japan
1 Loss 0–1 Kumiko Nishida MD 4 (4) 20 December 2008 Momochi Gym, Fukuoka, Japan

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Boxrec profile of Yuko Kuroki". Boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  2. ^ "Boxing record for Yuko Kuroki". BoxRec.
  3. ^ "Yuko Kuroki". topology.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  4. ^ "Etsuko Tada vs Yuko Kuroki". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  5. ^ "All Female Boxing Card in Japan!". womenofboxing.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  6. ^ "Yuko Kuroki vs Mari Ando". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  7. ^ "Kuroki-Gutierrez WBC Title Clash on November 1st". Boxing Scene. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  8. ^ "Momo Koseki dethrones Yuko Kuroki for WBC minimum flyweight title". Japan Times. 17 December 2017. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  9. ^ "Saemi Hanagata vs Yuko Kuroki". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  10. ^ "Hanagata and Kuroki go to the judges in brawl for IBF crown!". Asian Boxing. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  11. ^ "Momo Koseki vs Yuko Kuroki". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  12. ^ "Ex-champs Kuroki, Iwakawa regain world female belts". fightnews.com. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  13. ^ "Nanae Suzuki vs Yuko Kuroki". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  14. ^ "Kuroki decisions Suzuki to retain WBO's world female atomweight title in direct rematch". Boxing News. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  15. ^ "Kuroki defeats Suzuki, keeps WBO female 102lb belt". fightnews.com. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  16. ^ "Kuroki dethroned Alarcon in Kobe". wbaboxing.com. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  17. ^ "Kuroki unifies WBA, WBO female 102lb belts". fight news.com. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  18. ^ "Matsuda decisions Kuroki, wins WBA/WBO world atomweight titles in Tokyo". Boxing News. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  19. ^ "Yuko Kuroki vs Eri Matsuda". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.