The K-1 Group has announced the inaugural K-1 bantamweight champion tournament, which will take place at the Ota City General Gymnasium on Sunday, May 23. The tournament is a result of the addition of the bantamweight division in K-1 for the first time since the promotion held the first 53-kilogram championship tournament in Krush in 2016. The inaugural Krush bantamweight title was held by Yoshiki Takei, who has since left the promotion to pursue a career in professional boxing.
The current Krush bantamweight champion, Kazuki Miburo, brings his undefeated record to the big stage. He earned the title at Krush 123 against top prospect Begin Yoshioka, who holds wins over three of the tournament participants and former Krush champ Koki. The nature of Miburo’s victory could be questioned due to the restrictions inflicted upon Yoshioka for missing weight, but the 19-year-old prospect looks to be one of the favorites in the tournament field. He meets 2020 K-1 Koshien 55-kilogram winner Aoi Noda, who has had mixed results since making his professional debut last year. Noda, 18, has lost two of his past three fights with both defeats ending by way of knockout.
In the rest of the tournament field, 2020 K-1 Koshien runner-up Naoki Omura makes his pro debut opposite former K-1 55-kilogram amateur champ Mao Hashimoto, who is 4-3 in his professional career. Former K-1 60-kilogram amateur winner Yuya Uzawa meets 2018 K-1 Koshien 55-kilogram champion Hinata Matsumoto, who’s lone setback in his four pro fights came against the aforementioned Miburo. Top prospect Toma Kuroda has compiled four wins in seven contests with a victory over fellow tournament participant Noda. “TOMA” takes on 2019 K-1 Koshien 55-kilogram titleholder Koji Ikeda, who also has four victories in his pro career and is currently riding a two-fight winning streak including a win over Uzawa.
The promotion also announced one superfight for the main card between former Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup champ and two-time runner-up “MIO” Tsumura (39-5) and current Krush women’s atomweight champion Miyuu Sugawara (6-1).
Aoi Noda vs. Kazuki Miburo – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
Yuya Uzawa vs. Hinata Matsumoto – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
Koji Ikeda vs. Toma Kuroda – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
MIO vs. Miyuu Sugawara