Kosei Tanaka boxer
- bouts
- 17
- won
- 16
- lost
- 1
- draw
- 0
- Status
- World Boxing Organisation World Flyweight Title
- Division
- flyweight
- Debut
- 2013-11-10
- Height
- 5′ 4½″/164cm
- Reach
- 63½″/161cm
- Age
- 23
- Born
- 1995-06-15
- Death
- -
- Nationality
- Japan
Kosei Tanaka (田中 恒成, Tanaka Kōsei, born 15 June 1995) is a Japanese professional boxer. He is a three-weight world champion, having held the WBO mini-flyweight title from 2015 to 2016; the WBO junior-flyweight title from 2016 to 2017; and the WBO flyweight title from 2018 to 2020. Upon winning his first world title in only his fifth bout, he became the fastest Japanese fighter ever to become a world champion. Along with Vasyl Lomachenko, he is also the fastest ever fighter to win titles in three weight-classes, having accomplished the feat in only 12 bouts.As a child, Tanaka suffered from Legg–Calvé–Perthe disease. Despite this, he took up boxing and won four national high school tournaments competing as an amateur in the junior-flyweight division. At the continental and international level he was a quarter-finalist at the 2012 Youth World Championships and a silver medalist at the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships. At Chukyo Highschool he trained under former OPBF super flyweight champion Hideyasu Ishihara. He finished his amateur career with a record of 46-5 (13 KO/RSC). He was not stopped during his amateur career.Tanaka turned pro at the age of 18 in 2013. In November 2014, Tanaka defeated previously unbeaten Ryuji Hara via tenth-round technical knockout (TKO) to win the OPBF mini-flyweight title. In his next fight, Tanaka decisioned Julian Yedras (117–111, 117–111, 115–113) to win the WBO mini-flyweight title. Tanaka holds the Japanese record for winning a world title in the fewest fights (five), surpassing the previous record held by Naoya Inoue of six fights. Tanaka's only title defense at mini-flyweight came against Vic Saludar, whom he knocked out in round six after a left hook to the body. Saludar knocked down Tanaka in round six, and was ahead on all scorecards prior to the stoppage.In December 2016, Tanaka challenged former mini-flyweight title holder Moisés Fuentes for the WBO junior-flyweight title. Tanaka dominated Fuentes, dropping him in round five before referee Raul Caiz Jr stopped the fight, giving Tanaka a TKO victory. With the win, Tanaka became a two-weight world champion in just eight fights. Tanaka's first defense came against prospect Ángel Acosta. The former won a wide unanimous decision (UD) (117–110, 117–110, 116–111) and dropped Acosta once. Acosta had won all 16 of his previous fights by knockout.Tanaka's second defense took place in September 2017 against little-known fighter Palangpol CP Freshmart. Tanaka was a huge favorite going into the fight, but Palangpol would prove to be Tanaka's toughest challenger so far, dropping the defending champion once in the first round and trading back-and-forth combinations for the rest of the bout. After a thrilling fight, Tanaka would finally gain the upper hand in round nine, as he knocked down Palangpol and continued to land big combinations as the challenger struggled to connect. Eventually, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight at 1:52 in round nine.
Date | Opponent | Last Opponents' Results | Place | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021-12-11 | Sho Ishida | WWWWLW | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | |
2020-12-31 | Kazuto Ioka | WWWLWW | Ota-City General Gymnasium | LOST Technical knockout |
2019-12-31 | Wulan Tuolehazi | WWWWWW | Ota-City General Gymnasium | WIN KO |
2019-08-24 | Jonathan Gonzalez | WLWWWW | Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya | WIN Technical knockout |
2019-03-16 | Ryoichi Taguchi | WWDWWL | Memorial Center, Gifu | WIN Unanimous decision |
2018-09-24 | Sho Kimura | WWWWWW | Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya | WIN Majority decision |
2018-03-31 | Ronnie Baldonado | WWWWWW | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | WIN Technical knockout |
2017-09-13 | Rangsan Chayanram | WWWWWW | EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka | WIN Technical knockout |
2017-05-20 | Angel Acosta | WWWWWW | Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya | WIN Unanimous decision |
2016-12-31 | Moises Fuentes | LWWWWW | Memorial Center, Gifu | WIN Technical knockout |
2016-05-28 | Rene Patilano | WWWWWW | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | WIN KO |
2015-12-31 | Vic Saludar | WWWWWW | Aichi Prefectural Gym, Nagoya | WIN KO |
2015-05-30 | Julian Yedras | WWLWWW | Park Arena, Komaki | WIN Unanimous decision |
2014-10-30 | Ryuji Hara | WWWWWW | Korakuen Hall | WIN Technical knockout |
2014-07-20 | Crison Omayao | LLLDLW | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | WIN KO |
2014-03-16 | Ronelle Ferreras | LWDWWL | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | WIN Unanimous decision |
2013-11-10 | Oscar Raknafa | WWWWWL | International Conference Hall, Nagoya | WIN Unanimous decision |