Naoya Inoue’s impressive win against Luis Nery has brought attention to Japan’s dominance in the lower weight categories. Among the talented Japanese fighters making waves worldwide, Kosei Tanaka stands out as a remarkable but underrated athlete.
Tanaka, a superb super flyweight boxer, has enjoyed significant success in his career. Similar to Vasyl Lomachenko, Tanaka swiftly became a three-weight world champion, showcasing his exceptional talent. Overcoming challenges posed by Legg-Calve-Perthe disease, Tanaka excelled as an amateur before making a seamless transition to the professional boxing circuit.
In just his fourth professional bout, Tanaka secured the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Minimumweight title by defeating Ryuji Hara via TKO. Subsequently, he claimed the WBO World Minimumweight title with an impressive victory over Julian Yedras. Tanaka continued his winning streak by moving up in weight and dominating opponents in the light flyweight division.
Despite facing various obstacles, Tanaka displayed remarkable resilience by successfully defending his titles and creating history with each bout. While a tough loss to Kazuto Ioka provided a challenge, Tanaka rebounded and continued to excel in higher weight classes.
Supported by his unwavering determination and skill, Tanaka has emerged as a formidable presence in the super flyweight division. His recent triumph over Christian Bacasegua Rangel for the WBO World Super Flyweight title reaffirms Tanaka’s ambitious spirit. Acclaimed with the monikers “Dream Boy” and “Monster of Chukyo” for his outstanding abilities and relentless pursuit, Tanaka remains a fighter worth following. There is no question that Tanaka will continue to shine and leave a lasting impact on the boxing world.
