Korin Kokofu and Akito Horie dominated their weight classes at the 77th Japan Inter-High School National Boxing Championships

The 77th Japan Inter-High School National Boxing Championships featured at the Kita Gas Arena in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Three girls and eight boys earned their gold medals and among them, seven continued the winning path following the last high school competition which was held on March 2023.

Their best high school boxers from all regions of Japan competed in the traditional event in Sapporo where 317 bouts were held in six sessions. The Kokoku High School won the team rankings at the Inter-High School National Boxing Championships and defended their throne after the 2022 edition. It was the sixth overall success for the Kokoku High School during the event’s history.

Tokyo’s Miku Oikawa claimed a silver medal at the 34th Japan National High School Invitational Boxing Tournament this March which he changed into gold medal in Sapporo. The talented flyweight girl defeated Ruka Hori in the first final of the championships, controlling all of the three rounds.

Kumamoto’s Korin Kokofu represented Japan at the last edition of the Youth World Boxing Championships in La Nucia and she dominated her final against Marika Hirota at the women’s bantamweight. Hyogo’s Sakura Okayama won the first high school event this year and she had the skills to win the next after beating a local girl, Aki Yamazaki at the lightweight (60kg).

Osaka’s Daichi Iwai bagged the title of the smallest male division, the pinweight in Sapporo where he was too quick for his rivals. Fukuoka’s Seiya Nakayama moved up to the light flyweight but he defended his last year’s throne and continued his impressive winning path in the national level following his tight success over Raito Kataoka.

Miyazaki’s Aren Zushi had a narrow success over Osaka’s Saion Ota at the flyweight, earning his first national title. Fukuoka’s Koichi Nakayama achieved a bronze medal in the last high school national event but he had the stamina to win the bantamweight final against Hyogo’s Fuma Kumamoto.

Akito Horie dominated his last national event at the lightweight and he needed less than three minutes in the final to stop Yujiro Date. Miyazaki’s Masatake Yoshizumi was the defending champion at the light welterweight and he earned his next national title after 2022. He had a hard battle against Aomori’s Keisuke Akimoto but four out of the five judges favoured him in this world-class final.

Niigata’s Moeto Kawamura earned his second gold medal in 2023, he got the welterweight title following his clear success over Nara’s Kota Yamada. Yeshua Silva had a difficult first round against Hibiki Kawabata on their re-match but his punches were decisive in the second which meant that he defeated his main national rival once again.

The list of the winners at the 77th Japan Inter-High School National Boxing Championships

 Women’s flyweight: Miku Oikawa

 Women’s bantamweight: Korin Kokofu

 Women’s lightweight: Sakura Okayama

 Men’s pinweight: Daichi Iwai

 Men’s light flyweight: Seiya Nakayama

 Men’s flyweight: Aren Zushi

 Men’s bantamweight: Koichi Nakayama

 Men’s lightweight: Akito Horie

 Men’s light welterweight: Masatake Yoshizumi

 Men’s welterweight: Moeto Kawamura

 Men’s middleweight: Yeshua Silva 

Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/
ASBC Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BoxingAsian?s=08