Mika Iwakawa
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is a Japanese
professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
who has held the
IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
atomweight Atomweight (also referred to as light minimumweight, junior strawweight, junior mini-flyweight and pinweight) is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In women's boxing and junior amateur boxing pinweight is, or has been, a Weight class (boxing), ...
title since September 2022 and the WBO atomweight title from 2018 to 2022.


Professional career


Early career

Iwakawa made her professional debut on 19 December 2011, where she defeated Shoko Hayashida by
knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
KO in a four-round bout at the
Korakuen Hall is a famous sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many notable boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches. History On April 16, 1962, the Korakuen Hall was officially opened with ...
in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. Iwakawa went on to amass a 5–4–1 record over the next five years, before being booked to face Narirat Klaphom for the vacant
OPBF The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian and Pacific region. History Oriental boxing started in the Philippines in 1946 after the Spanish-American War. While ...
female
light flyweight Light flyweight, also known as junior flyweight or super strawweight, is a weight class in boxing. Professional boxing The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds (49 kilograms). When New York legalized boxing in 1920 ...
title on 20 August 2016. She captured her first professional title by a second-round technical knockout. Winning this title earned Iwakawa the right to challenge the once-defeated Yunoka Furukawa for the WBA female atomweight title on 13 December 2016, in the co-main event of DANGAN LADIES vol.3, which was held on 13 December 2016 at the
Korakuen Hall is a famous sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many notable boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches. History On April 16, 1962, the Korakuen Hall was officially opened with ...
in
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
. She lost the fight by a closely contested majority decision, with two judges scoring the bout 96–94 and 97–93 for Furukawa, while the third judge scored it an event 95–95.


Atomweight world champion


WBO atomweight champion

On 30 June 2018, it was revealed that Iwakawa would face the reigning WBO female atomweight champion Nao Ikeyama, in what was Ikeyama's seventh title defense. The title bout took place on 29 July 2018, at the KBS Hall in
Kyoto, Japan Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the city ...
. She won the fight by split decision, with two 96–94 scorecards for Iwakawa and one 96–94 scorecard for her opponent. The 48-year old Ikeyama announced her intention to retire in her post-fight interview. Iwakawa was booked to face the journeyman Momoko Kanda in a non-title bout on 7 December 2019. Iwakawa fought the #1 ranked WBO flyweight to stay busy, as she had been out of the ring for 17 months, with her previous bout against Nao Ikeyama taking place on 29 July 2018. Iwakawa beat Kanda by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding her a 78-74 scorecard. Iwakawa made her first WBO atomweight title defense against Nanae Suzuki on 26 September 2020, at the Central Gym in
Kobe, Japan Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, which ...
. Iwakawa maintained distance and scored points by landing one-twos, and was awarded a split decision. Two judges scored the fight 96–94 and 97–93 for her, while the third judge scored it 97–93 for Suzuki. On 5 April 2021, Tadanori Yamashita, the chairman of her former gym Takasago Gym, was arrested and had his boxing license suspended. Following this, Iwakawa left and began training at the Himeji Kinoshita Gym. On 27 December of the same year, it was announced that Iwakawa and Nanae Suzuki would face each other in an immediate rematch, due to the close nature of their first meeting. The bout took place on 25 February 2022. Iwakawa lost the fight by split decision, with scores of 96–94, 94–96 and 94–96.


IBF atomweight champion

During a press conference held on 21 July 2022, it was announced that Iwakawa would challenge
Ayaka Miyao Ayaka Miyao is a retired Japanese professional boxer. She is a two-time atomweight Atomweight (also referred to as light minimumweight, junior strawweight, junior mini-flyweight and pinweight) is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In women ...
for the IBF female atomweight title on the undercard of "Queens Crest 2022", an all female event held jointly by Shinsei Promotion, Misako Promotion and DANGAN. She won the fight by a close unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 96–94 in her favor. Iwakawa faced Ploypailin Palatsrichuai in a stay-busy, non-title bout on 26 February 2023. She won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.


Professional boxing record


See also

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List of current female world boxing champions Below is a list of current female world boxing champions recognised by the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and '' The Ring''. Each champion's professional boxing record is shown in the following format: wins–losses–draws–no contests ( knockout wins) ...
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List of WBO female world champions The following is a list of WBO female world champions certificated by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Stand: 17 March 2020. r – Champion relinquished title. s – Champion stripped of title. Atomweight Mini flyweight Junior f ...
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List of IBF female world champions The following is a list of IBF female world champions certificated by the International Boxing Federation (IBF). Stand: February 8, 2020. r – Champion relinquished title. s – Champion stripped of title. Junior mini flyweight Min ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iwakawa, Mika Living people 1983 births Japanese women boxers World Boxing Organization champions Atomweight boxers