30 Facts About Riku Kano

Riku Kano was born on 16 November 1997 and is a Japanese professional boxer who challenged for the WBO mini-flyweight title in 2016.

At the regional level, Kano has held the WBO Asia Pacific title at light flyweight and flyweight.

Riku Kano made his professional debut against Benjie Bartolome on 7 December 2013, and lost the fight by split decision.

Riku Kano won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him every single round of the bout.

Riku Kano was scheduled to fight in Japan for the first time in his career on 7 June 2015, when he faced Marihot Hutajulu.

Riku Kano was next scheduled to face Kenta Matsui on 27 September 2015.

Riku Kano beat Pigmy Kokietgym by unanimous decision on 27 December 2015.

Riku Kano was scheduled to face the debuting Chaichana Sor Por Por Laos on 26 February 2016.

Riku Kano won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Chaichana after just 64 seconds.

Riku Kano faced a significant step-up in competition in his next bout, as he was faced the former WBO World mini-flyweight champion Merlito Sabillo for the interim OPBF minumumweight title.

Riku Kano failed to become the youngest Japanese world boxing champion, as Takayama won the fight by technical decision in the sixth round.

Riku Kano was next scheduled to fight the journeyman Jerry Tomogdan for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight title on 5 May 2017, at the Bunka Center in Sanda, Hyogo.

Riku Kano suffered an upset loss, as Tomogdan won the fight by a sixth-round knockout, stopping Kano with body strikes at the 1:56 minute mark.

Riku Kano was scheduled to face the debuting Kittisak Khamlong on 29 April 2018, on the undercard of the "1eth from Mita to the World" event.

Riku Kano won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Kittisak in 81 seconds.

Riku Kano was scheduled to challenge the reigning Japanese mini-flyweight champion Shin Ono in the latter's first title defense.

Ono won the fight by a technical knockout, as the referee was forced to stop the fight after Riku Kano suffered two knockdowns in the eight round.

Riku Kano was scheduled to face Takayuki Teraji on 2 December 2018.

Riku Kano was scheduled to fight Mektison Marganti for the vacant WBC Youth World light-flyweight title on 26 May 2019.

Riku Kano won the fight by an eight-round knockout, after Marganti's corner threw in the towel.

Riku Kano faced the 2018 "Rookie of the Year" light-flyweight runner-up Tetsuya Mimura on 17 November 2019, in his last fight of the year.

Riku Kano was scheduled to fight Ryoki Hirai for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight title on 23 November 2020.

Riku Kano made his first title defense against Takumi Sakae on 23 July 2021.

Riku Kano won the fight by a ninth-round technical knockout.

Riku Kano vacated the WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight title on 14 February 2022.

Riku Kano faced the journeyman Sanchai Yotboon in a flyweight bout on 24 April 2022, in the main event of a Taisei Promotions card, held at the EDION Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan.

Riku Kano won the fight by a second-round technical knockout, due to referee stoppage.

Riku Kano dropped Yotboon twice prior to the stoppage, with both knockdowns coming in the second round.

Riku Kano made his first WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title defense against Daiki Kameyama on 16 April 2023.

Riku Kano challenged Anthony Olascuaga for the vacant WBO flyweight title at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on July 20,2024.