Kosei Tanaka is a four-weight world champion, having held the World Boxing Organization mini-flyweight title from 2015 to 2016; the WBO junior-flyweight title from 2016 to 2017; the WBO flyweight title from 2018 to 2020; and the WBO super-flyweight title from February 2024 to October 2024.
21 Facts About Kosei Tanaka
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Kosei Tanaka surpassed Oscar De La Hoya to become the fastest four division champion, setting the bar at 21 fights.
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In November 2014, Tanaka defeated previously unbeaten Ryuji Hara via tenth-round technical knockout to win the OPBF mini-flyweight title.
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Kosei Tanaka holds the Japanese record for winning a world title in the fewest fights, surpassing the previous record held by Naoya Inoue of six fights.
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In December 2016, Kosei Tanaka challenged former mini-flyweight title holder Moises Fuentes for the WBO junior-flyweight title.
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Kosei Tanaka dominated Fuentes, dropping him in round five before referee Raul Caiz Jr stopped the fight, giving Kosei Tanaka a TKO victory.
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Kosei Tanaka was a huge favorite going into the fight, but Palangpol would prove to be Kosei 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.
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In December 2017, Kosei Tanaka vacated his junior-flyweight title to move to the flyweight division.
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In September 2018, Kosei Tanaka defeated Sho Kimura to capture the WBO flyweight title, equalling Vasyl Lomachenko's record of becoming a three-weight world champion in just 12 fights.
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In March 2019, Kosei Tanaka fought former WBA, IBF, lineal and The Ring junior flyweight champion and domestic rival Ryoichi Taguchi for the first defense of his WBO flyweight title in a one sided bout described as "action packed" by spectators.
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On New Year's Eve in 2019, Kosei Tanaka fought Wulan Tuolehazi, Kosei Tanaka delivered a brutal third-round knockout after a one sided fight to defend his WBO flyweight title for the third time.
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Kosei Tanaka faced WBO super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka on New Year's Eve 2020 in an attempt to win a major title in four divisions in the fewest fights.
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Kosei Tanaka would have become the second Japanese champion to win a major title in four divisions if he was victorious, the first being his opponent, Ioka.
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Kosei Tanaka was booked to face the one-time WBA super-flyweight title challenger Sho Ishida on 11 December 2021, at the International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan.
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Kosei Tanaka faced the reigning OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific super flyweight champion Masayoshi Hashizume, for the latter title, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on 29 June 2022.
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Kosei Tanaka vacated the WBO Asia Pacific title on 23 August 2022.
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Kosei Tanaka then faced Yanga Sigqibo on 11 December 2022, at the Takeda Teva Ocean Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
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Kosei Tanaka was scheduled to make the first defense of his WBO super flyweight title against Jonathan Rodriguez at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on July 20,2024.
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Kosei Tanaka made his first defense against South African Phumelele Cafu on October 14,2024.
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Kosei Tanaka is the cousin of Japanese figure skater Yuhana Yokoi and younger brother of amateur fighter Ryomei Tanaka.
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Kosei Tanaka said that he admires Naoya Inoue in an interview with The Japan Times.