Boxing: Emergency meeting held in Japan after death of two fighters

Two boxers have died of concussions a week after their fights in Tokyo. The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and other boxing officials are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, August 12, to try to understand the circumstances under which such a tragedy could have occurred. Several local media outlets also report that the body will hold discussions over the next month on the fighters' safety.

"We are particularly aware of our responsibility as managers of this sport," Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary general of the JBC, told reporters on Sunday, adding: "We will take all the measures we can."

On August 2, super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, had to be rushed to hospital after their respective fights at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall. They underwent brain surgery but did not survive.

The former, who had snatched a draw in twelve rounds, lost consciousness shortly after the end of his fight. He died on August 8, "from a subdural hematoma," his club reported on its website the following day. The latter had been stopped by the referee in the eighth and final round. He "tragically succumbed to the injuries sustained" during his time in the ring, the World Boxing Organization (WBO), one of the main international federations of the discipline, announced in a message on Instagram on Sunday, August 10.

Japanese media have highlighted the fact that boxers are refraining from hydrating in order to lose weight quickly before weigh-ins, a risky practice. "Dehydration makes the brain more susceptible" to hemorrhaging, points out the daily Asahi Shimbun .

This is one of the topics JBC wants to discuss with coaches, according to the Nikkan Sports publication. "They want to know more (…) about these methods (…) and pre-fight conditioning, which could be linked [to deaths], " the publication said.

In recent years, several sports have been affected by controversies surrounding the consequences of repeated head impacts on athletes' health. A growing number of studies and testimonies have linked neurological health problems in athletes to concussions, for example in rugby.