Hiroto Kyoguchi


Hiroto Kyoguchi is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 2016 to 2025. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the International Boxing Federation mini-flyweight title from 2017 to 2018, and the World Boxing Association and Ring magazine light-flyweight titles from 2018 to 2022.
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Professional career

Early career

Kyoguchi made his professional debut against Narathip Sungsut on April 17, 2016. He won the fight by a second-round knockout. This victory was followed by four consecutive stoppage victories, during which he defeated Taweechai Yuyuet by a first-round technical knockout, Kenichi Miyazaki by a third-round technical knockout, Michael Camelion by a 33-second knockout and Junuel Lacar by a third-round knockout.
He was scheduled to fight Armando de la Cruz for the OPBF minimumweight title in his sixth fight, on February 28, 2017. He won the fight by a third-round knockout. Kyoguchi was scheduled to defend his OPBF minimum against Jonathan Refugio, on April 25, 2017. He beat Refugio by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the bout 117–111, 118–111 and 119–109 in Kyoguchi's favor.

IBF mini-flyweight champion

Kyoguchi vs. Argumedo

Kyoguchi was scheduled to fight the reigning IBF mini-flyweight champion Jose Argumedo in the latter's fourth title defense, on July 23, 2017. Due to his lack of professional experience and world title fight, Kyoguchi came into the fight as the betting underdog to the more accomplished Argumedo. The fight itself was a messy affair, with a lot of clinching and slipping to the mat. Kyoguchi scored the only knockdown of the fight in the ninth round, dropping Argumedo with a left. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two of the judges scoring the fight 116–111 in his favor, while the third judge scored it 115–112 for Kyoguchi. He became the first Japanese boxer to win a world title in the shortest amount of time, at 1 year and 3 months.

Kyoguchi vs. Buitrago

Kyoguchi was scheduled to make his first IBF mini-flyweight title defense against the former WBO and IBF mini flyweight champion Carlos Buitrago, on December 31, 2017. The fight was scheduled as the co-main event to the Ryoichi Taguchi and Milan Melindo fight. Kyoguchi established distance early on with the jab, and began accumulating damage on his opponent with a combination of body-head power shots. Kyoguchi won the fight by an eight-round technical knockout, which was the first stoppage loss in Buitrago's professional career. During the post-fight press conference, Kyoguchi stated his desire to fight either Hekkie Budler or Kenshiro Teraji.

Kyoguchi vs. Paras

Kyoguchi was scheduled to make his second IBF mini-flyweight title defense against the #15 IBF light flyweight contender Vince Paras, on May 20, 2018. It was the second consecutive time he fought on the Ryoichi Taguchi undercard, as Taguchi took on Hekkie Budler. Kyoguchi handed Paras his first professional loss, as he won the fight by a wide unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 117-110 for Kyoguchi.
On July 27, 2018, Kyoguchi stated he would vacate his IBF title, as he was no longer confident of successful cutting down to mini-flyweight. He officially vacated the title on August 11, 2018.

WBA and The Ring light-flyweight champion

Kyoguchi vs. Budler

Kyoguchi was scheduled to challenge the reigning WBA (Super) and The Ring light-flyweight champion Hekkie Budler on December 31, 2018. The fight was on the undercard of the Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka main event, and was Kyoguchi's second fight outside of Japan. Kyoguchi came into the fight as a favorite over Budler.
The two fighters were on an even playing field for the first half of the fight, before Kyoguchi took over in the seventh and began landing more frequent power shots to the head and body. Budler appeared to have issues with his cardio and breathing. Kyoguchi won the fight by technical knockout in the tenth round, after Budler retired from the bout, and was ahead on the official scorecards when the fight was stopped. Budler later confirmed that he was having sinus issues going into the fight.

Kyoguchi vs. Satanmuanglek

Kyoguchi was scheduled to make his first title defenses against the reigning World Boxing Council Asian Boxing champion Satanmuanglek CP Freshmart, on June 19, 2019, on the Kazuto Ioka versus Aston Palicte undercard. Although Satanmuanglek had fought for world titles in muay thai, having held the Lumpinee Stadium title in two weight classes, this was his first boxing world title fight. During the pre-fight press conference, Kyoguchi stated his desire to fight his fellow countryman Kenshiro Teraji in a light flyweight title unification bout. Kyoguchi defeated Satanmuanglek by unanimous decision, with two of the judges scoring the fight 117–111 in his favor, while the third judge scored the bout 117–112 for Kyoguchi.

Kyoguchi vs. Hisada

Kyoguchi was scheduled to make the second defense of his WBA (Super) and The Ring light-flyweight titles against Tetsuya Hisada, on October 1, 2019. This was Hisada's first world title challenge in 46 professional fights, and Kyoguchi entered the fight as a significant betting favorite. Kyoguchi remained in control for the duration of the bout, managing to score a knockdown in the ninth round, but being unable to finish Hisada. Kyoguchi won by unanimous decision, with scores of 115–112, 116–111 and 117–110.
Kyoguchi was scheduled to make his third WBA title defense against Thanongsak Simsri on November 3, 2020. Simsri was at the time the 11th-ranked contender in the WBA light flyweight rankings. On November 2, 2020, one day before the fight, Kyoguchi announced he was unable to fight, as both he and his coaches had contracted COVID-19.

Kyoguchi vs. Vega

Kyoguchi was scheduled to defend his WBA (Super) and The Ring light-flyweight titles against Axel Aragon Vega, on March 13, 2021, on the undercard of the Juan Francisco Estrada and Román González card. As this was his United States debut, Kyoguchi signed a multi-fight deal Matchroom Boxing, who would be responsible for promoting Kyoguchi's overseas fights. This was Kyoguchi's first fight after a year and a half of inactivity, having pulled out of a scheduled match with Thanongsak Simsri on November 2, 2020, after Kyoguchi and his corner contracted COVID-19. Kyoguchi came into the bout as a significant betting favorite.
Kyoguchi failed to make use of his 7-inch height and 6 inch reach advantage, spending the duration of the bout trading power shots in either the clinch or the pocket with his shorter opponent. Many boxing experts expected a different strategy from the champion. The fight ended after the fifth round, as Vega retired from the fight due to a hand injury. He had injured his hand in the earlier rounds, but an overhead right hand in the fifth aggravated the injury, forcing Vega to withdraw.

Kyoguchi vs. Bermudez

On June 10, 2021, Kyoguchi was ordered by the WBA to face the WBA Regular champion Esteban Bermudez in a unification match. However, on September 16, DAZN announced that Bermudez would make a voluntary title defense against the unbeaten Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. The WBA later confirmed that Bermudez was still tied to ordered title fight with Kyoguchi and hadn't approved his fight with Rodriguez. On October 21, 2021, the WBA gave them an additional ten day to come to terms regarding the fight, and furthermore stated: "If there is no agreement or if any of the parties express unwillingness to agree on the fight, will be called.” The two camps finally came to terms for a title consolidation bout on November 12, 2021. On December 9, 2021, it was revealed that the fight would take place on January 15, 2022, in Mexico, at a venue that would be announced at a later date. On December 29, 2021, the WBA gave fight promoter Matchroom Boxing a ten-day period to deliver proof of firm plans that the title consolidation bout would take place. The WBA scheduled a purse bid for January 22, 2022, after Matchroom failed to provide sufficient proof that a bout would take place. On January 27, 2022, the WBA allowed Bermudez to make a voluntary title defense against Carlos Cañizales, as Kyoguchi withdrew from the scheduled purse bid due to an injury. The bout didn't take place however, as Cañizales opted to face Ganigan López for the vacant WBA Continental Americans flyweight title instead.
The title bout with Bermudez was rescheduled for June 10, 2022, as the main event of a DAZN broadcast card which will take place in Mexico City, Mexico. The venue was later changed to the Domo Alcalde in Guadalajara, Mexico, as Kyogochi's team was concerned with how the higher elevation of Mexico City might affect him. Kyoguchi retained the title by a technical knockout, halting Bermudez with a flurry of punches at the 0:24 minute mark of the eight round. He was leading on two of the judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage, with scores of 66–65, while the third judge had Bermudez up 66–65. Kyoguchi knocked Bermudez down in the seventh round, but was deducted a point in the sixth and seventh round, for headbutting and rabbit punching respectively. Bermudez was examined by the ringside physician at the end of the second and seventh rounds, due to a cut above his left eyelid which he suffered early in the second round.

Kyoguchi vs. Teraji

Kyoguchi faced the two-time WBC light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji in a title unification match on November 1, 2022. It was just the second-ever unification bout between reigning titlists from Japan, while the winner of the bout was expected to become the first recognized lineal champion in more than a decade, since Giovani Segura vacated his title in 2011. Kyoguchi lost the fight by a seventh-round technical knockout. He was knocked down by a right cross in the fifth round, before the referee stopped the bout in the seventh round, as he judged Kyoguchi to have suffered too much damage.

Flyweight

Kyoguchi made his flyweight debut against the journeyman Roland Jay Biendima, at a minor show in Sumida City Gymnasium in Sumida, Tokyo on May 20, 2023. He won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with all three ringside officials awarding him all ten rounds of the bout.
He challenged WBO flyweight champion Anthony Olascuaga at Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on 13 March 2025, losing via unanimous decision.

Retirement

In July 2025, Kyoguchi announced his retirement, at the age of 31. In a post on sanspo.com, he wrote: "I have decided to retire. Thank you very much. I have had a professional career that went beyond what I had imagined. I am very happy to be hanging up my gloves here. It has been a wonderful boxing life. Boxing is the best." He ended his career with 19 wins and 3 losses in the professional ranks.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
22Loss19–3Anthony OlascuagaUD12Mar 13, 2025Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, JapanFor WBO flyweight title
21Win19–2Vince ParasMD10Oct 13, 2024Yokohama Budokan, Yokohama, Japan
20Loss18–2Vince ParasUD10May 11, 2024Paradise City Plaza, Incheon, South Korea
19Win18–1Jerven MamaKO3, 2:59Sep 22, 2023Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
18Win17–1Roland Jay BiendimaUD10May 20, 2023Sumida City Gymnasium, Sumida, Japan
17Loss16–1Kenshiro TerajiTKO7, 2:36Nov 1, 2022Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, JapanLost WBA and The Ring light-flyweight titles;
For WBC light-flyweight title
16Win16–0Esteban BermudezTKO8, 0:24Jun 10, 2022Domo Alcalde, Guadalajara, MexicoRetained WBA and The Ring light-flyweight titles
15Win15–0Axel Aragon VegaTKO5, 1:32Mar 13, 2021American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, U.SRetained WBA and The Ring light-flyweight titles
14Win14–0Tetsuya HisadaUD12Oct 1, 2019Edion Arena, Osaka, JapanRetained WBA and The Ring light-flyweight titles
13Win13–0Satanmuanglek CP FreshmartUD12Jun 19, 2019Makuhari Messe, Chiba, JapanRetained WBA and The Ring light-flyweight titles
12Win12–0Hekkie BudlerTKO10, 0:16Dec 31, 2018Wynn Palace, Macau, SAR, ChinaWon WBA (Super) and The Ring light-flyweight titles
11Win11–0Tibo MonabesaTKO4, 2:20Sep 25, 2018Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10Win10–0Vince ParasUD12May 20, 2018Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, JapanRetained IBF mini-flyweight title
9Win9–0Carlos BuitragoTKO8, 2:28Dec 31, 2017Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, JapanRetained IBF mini-flyweight title
8Win8–0Jose ArgumedoUD12Jul 23, 2017Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, JapanWon IBF mini-flyweight title
7Win7–0Jonathan Refugio12Apr 25, 2017Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained OPBF mini-flyweight title
6Win6–0Armando de la CruzKO3, 2:02Feb 28, 2017Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanWon vacant OPBF mini-flyweight title
5Win5–0Junuel LacarKO3, 0:46Dec 31, 2016Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
4Win4–0Michael CamelionKO1, 0:33Nov 15, 2016Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
3Win3–0Kenichi MiyazakiTKO3, 0:39Aug 7, 2016Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan
2Win2–0Taweechai Yuyuet1, 0:33May 16, 2016Meenayothin Camp, Bangkok, Thailand
1Win1–0Narathip Sungsut2, 2:55Apr 17, 2016Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan