Japan’s star Yuga Fujiki dominated the National High School Selection Tournament

The Japan National High School Selection Tournament was held for the girls and boys in Izomiotsu at the Kansai region in the Osaka Prefecture.

Japan has several competitions for their high school boxers every year and their next selection event will be coming soon in a few months.

The Japanese boxers amazed in the junior and youth competitions in the recent years claiming several Asian titles.

Hokkaido’s Matsuri Kamemori not only advanced to the final of the women’s pinweight but she dominated her last contest. She controlled of the three rounds against Hyogo’s Yuna Tamura and she won the first title of the entire competition.

Momoko Hasebe was titleholder at the National High School Selection Tournament and she defended her throne in the new edition. She had a tough light flyweight final against Osaka’s Hiyori Miki but finally her hand was raised after the last gong.

Ehime’s Moena Kashiwada stopped all of her rivals at the women’s flyweight while Osaka’s local girl, Himari Watanabe also dominated her division in Izomiotsu. Mizuki Horita had the toughest job among the girls, she defeated Aomori’s Arinda Akimoto only by 3:2 split decisions at the lightweight (60kg).

Miyazaki’s Rinto Nakano claimed a silver medal in the high school event one year ago which he switched into gold when he defeated Kosuke Yoshii at the pinweight final. Shin Yamada was quarter-finalist at the 2023 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships and he controlled all of his contests in the nationals including his final over Eishun Kobayashi.

Hyogo’s Retsuki Kawaguchi was not the main favourite at the flyweight but he won all of his four tough contests in the event. Saitama’s Haruto Kaneko, the last year’s silver medallist, was well-prepared for this event and he had a wonderful victory against Chiba’s Tomu Kataoka at the bantamweight.

The exceptional Yuga Fujiki is Japan’s top talent who won all of his international and national contests in the recent years. The 17-year-old boxer is small at the lightweight (60kg) but he has fantastic speed and pressure to beat all of his opponents comfortable.

Fukuoka’s Yuuma Kojho dominated the light welterweight while after his first tight bout, Nachi Ota also controlled the welterweight in the high school event. Miyazaki’s Riku Hino defeated his two main rivals such as Seiya Matsuura and Syoutarou Hayashi to take the middleweight (75kg) title.

The list of the winners at the Japan National High School Selection Tournament

 Women’s pinweight: Matsuri Kamemori

 Women’s light flyweight: Momoko Hasebe

 Women’s flyweight: Moena Kashiwada

 Women’s bantamweight: Himari Watanabe

 Women’s lightweight: Mizuki Horita

 Men’s pinweight: Rinto Nakano

 Men’s light flyweight: Shin Yamada

 Men’s flyweight: Retsuki Kawaguchi

 Men’s bantamweight: Haruto Kaneko

 Men’s lightweight: Yuga Fujiki

 Men’s light welterweight: Yuuma Kojho

 Men’s welterweight: Nachi Ota

 Men’s middleweight: Riku Hino

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