Riku Kano boxer

Riku Kano (born 16 November 1997) is a Japanese professional boxer who has held the WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight title since 2020. He challenged for the WBO World mini flyweight title in 2016.Kano made his professional debut against Benjie Bartolome on 7 December 2013, and lost the fight by split decision. After suffering his first professional loss, Kano rebounded by winning four of his next five fights, with three victories coming by way of stoppage. After amassing a 4–1–1 record, Kano was scheduled to fight Madit Sada for the vacant WBA Asia minumumweight title on 9 December 2014. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him every single round of the bout.Kano was scheduled to fight in Japan for the first time in his career on 7 June 2015, when he faced Marihot Hutajulu. He won the fight by a third-round knockout. Kano was next scheduled to face Kenta Matsui on 27 September 2015. He won the six round bout by unanimous decision, with scores of 60–56, 59–55 and 59–56. Kano beat Pigmy Kokietgym by unanimous decision on 27 December 2015.Kano was scheduled to face the debuting Chaichana Sor Por Por Laos on 26 February 2016. He won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Chaichana after just 64 seconds. Kano faced a significant step-up in competition in his next bout, as he was faced the former WBO World mini-flyweight champion Merlito Sabillo for the interim OPBF minumumweight title. The bout was scheduled as the main event of the "Sanda to the World 7" event on 8 May 2016, at the Bunka Center in Sanda, Hyōgo. Kano won the fight by split decision. Two judges scored the fight 117–111 for Kano, while the third judge scored it 115–113 for Sabillo.After beating Sabillo, Kano was ranked as the #1 mini-flyweight by the WBO. As such, he was scheduled to face the #2 ranked mini-flyweight contender Katsunari Takayama for the vacant WBO mini-flyweight title. The fight was scheduled for 20 August 2016, and was held at the Komagatani Gym in Sanda, Hyōgo. The bout was broadcast only by TV Osaka, and as such only boxing fans in the Kantō region were able to watch it. Kano failed to become the youngest Japanese world boxing champion, as Takayama won the fight by technical decision in the sixth round. Takayama suffered a cut above his left eye due to an accidental clash of heads in the second round, which was exacerbated as the fight went on. He had built up enough of a lead by that point however, and was awarded a unanimous decision, with scores of 59–56, 59–58 and 59–55.Kano was scheduled to fight the 0–5 Thoedkiad Weerachon on 11 December 2016. He won the fight by a third–round technical knockout. Kano was next scheduled to fight the journeyman Jerry Tomogdan for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight title on 5 May 2017, at the Bunka Center in Sanda, Hyōgo. He suffered an upset loss, as Tomogdan won the fight by a sixth-round knockout, stopping Kano with body strikes at the 1:56 minute mark.