Kento Haraguchi


Haraguchi Kento is a Japanese kickboxer and former boxer, currently competing in the super lightweight division of RISE. He is the current ISKA Oriental Rules World Light Welterweight champion, the former RISE Lightweight champion and the 2020 RISE Dead or Alive Lightweight tournament winner.
Haraguchi began his competitive career in Full Contact karate. He won three titles in elementary school between 2008 and 2011, four in the middle school between 2012 and 2014, as well as the Dageki Kakutougi Japan Cup in the adult featherweight event in his return to the sport in 2017. In between his two karate stints, Haraguchi fought as a professional boxer, but quit the sport after suffering his first loss in the semifinals of the 2016 West Japan Rookie of the Year tournament.
As of April 2023, Haraguchi is ranked as the fifth best super featherweight kickboxer in the world by Combat Press and the sixth best super featherweight by Beyond Kickboxing, having first entered the Combat Press divisional rankings in July 2022 and Beyond Kickboxing rankings in October 2022. He was previously ranked as a top ten super bantamweight kickboxer by Combat Press between November 2020 and May 2022.

Personal life

Haraguchi married at the age of 19. He is a father of two daughters. His first daughter, Noa, was born when he was 17 and a second-year in high school.

Kickboxing career

ACCEL

ACCEL Featherweight title reign

Haraguchi made his professional debut against Shiro Kajihara at All Boxing World 10th. He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout. His debut win, as well as his boxing and karate career, earned Haraguchi the chance to fight Fumihiro Uesugi at ACCEL vol.37, in Uesugi's fifth title defense. During the first round of their bout, Uesugi looked to push into the pocket behind a high guard, however, Haraguchi kept distance with a front kick and racked up damage with body kicks. Near the end of the first round, Haraguchi staggered his opponent with a left hook and knocked him down through a combination of punches. Haraguchi immediately pressured as the second round began, thoroughly dominating the champion and forcing him to take a knee three times, which awarded Hariguchi the technical knockdown.
Haraguchi participated in the RISE Dead or Alive 57 kg tournament, held at RISE 121. He was scheduled to fight Taiki Naito in the quarterfinals. The fight was ruled a draw after the first three rounds, which resulted in an extra fourth round being fought. Naito won the extra round by unanimous decision.
Haraguchi was scheduled to make his first title defense against Shogo Kuriaki at ACCEL vol.38. Although the fight was close, Haraguchi won the fight by unanimous decision, with all the judges awarding him all three rounds.
He returned to RISE at RISE 132, when he was scheduled to fight the #6 ranked RISE Super Featherweight Jun Aiolos. Haraguchi dominated the bout, knocking Aiolos down twice in the first round and twice in the second round, before Aiolos' corner threw in the towel. Haraguchi was scheduled to fight Henry Cejas in a non-title bout at ACCEL vol.39. Haraguchi fought mainly off the back-foot, slowly accumulating damage on his opponent, before knocking Cejas out with a jumping switch kick at the very end of the third round.

Road to RIZIN

Haraguchi was scheduled to participate in the Road to RIZIN Tournament, held during RISE 125. He was scheduled to fight the WBC Muaythai International Featherweight champion Momotaro in the semifinals, with the other semifinal bout being contested by Shuto Miyazaki and Yamato Fujita. Haraguchi beat Momotaro by a closely contested unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him a single round, while scoring the other two rounds as draws. He was more dominant in the final bout against Shuto Miyazaki, winning once again by unanimous decision. Winning the tournament earned him the opportunity to fight at the next RIZIN event.
Haraguchi was scheduled to make his second title defense against Chibita at ACCEL vol.40. Early on in the first round, Haraguchi landed a body kick which broke Chibita's ribs, while a second kick to the body resulted in the first knockdown of the fight. Haraguchi kept kicking Chibita's body which resulted in a knockout 90 seconds into the fight.
Haraguchi made his RIZIN debut at RIZIN 13, when he was scheduled to fight the former K-1 Super Featherweight champion Taiga Kawabe. The closely contested fight was ruled a majority draw, with one of the three judges awarding Haraguchi a 30-29 scorecard.

RISE

Haraguchi was scheduled to fight the ISKA Spain K-1 and Muay Thai champion Miguel Martinez during the opening round of the 2019 RISE World Series. The fight ended after just 25 seconds, as Haraguchi knocked Martinez out with a body kick.
Haraguchi was next scheduled to fight against the #2 ranked RISE lightweight Tomohiro Kitai at RISE 132. Haraguchi made use of his superior speed and outfighting ability to win by unanimous decision, winning all three rounds on the judges scorecards.
In the semifinal event of the RISE World Series, Haraguchi faced Lu Jun. Jun came into the fight 0.8 kg over the weight limit. He was given a one-point deduction and heavier gloves as a penalty for the weight miss. Haraguchi managed to stagger Jun with a head kick at the very beginning of the match, before knocking him out after only 67 seconds of the first round.
At Rise World Series 2019 Final Round, Haraguchi was scheduled to fight the 2017 RISE Super Featherweight champion Chan Hyung Lee. Haraguchi was dominant throughout the fight, winning the fight by unanimous decision. Two of the judges awarded him 30–27 on their scorecards, with the last one awarding him a 30-28 scorecard.
On September 1, 2019, Haraguchi was scheduled to fight the former KNOCK OUT Lightweight champion Yosuke Morii at JAPAN KICKBOXING INNOVATION, in a five-round fight with elbows allowed. Haraguchi looked to push the pace, pressuring Morii with kicks, with Morii looking to relieve the pressure through clinch work. Haraguchi scored the first knockdown in the second round with a right hook. Less than 30 seconds into the third round, Haraguchi once again scored a knockdown with a right hook. Although Morii was able to beat the eight count, the referee nonetheless decided the wave the fight off.

RISE Lightweight champion

Title reign

Haraguchi was scheduled to fight the #1 ranked RISE Lightweight, and one-time title challenger, Hideki at RISE 136 for the vacant RISE Lightweight championship. Haraguchi came into the fight as the #2 ranked RISE lightweight, on a five-fight winning streak. The fight began with both fighters fighting out of the southpaw stance, trading low leg kicks. The fight ended in the last minute of the first round, as Haraguchi knocked his opponent down with a lead right hook counter to Hideki's left straight. Hideki was unable to beat the eight-count, resulting in a knockout victory for Haraguchi. During his post-fight speech, Haraguchi called out the previous RISE Lightweight champion Taiju Shiratori.
Haraguchi was scheduled to fight Chadd Collins in the semifinals of the 2020 RISE World Series tournament. The other two semifinalists were Nuenglanlek Jitmuangnon and Taiju Shiratori.
The RISE World Series tournament was later scrapped, as Collins and Nuenglanlek were unable to enter the country at the time, due to travel restrictions imposed in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Haraguchi was instead scheduled to fight Vitor Tofanelli at Rise on Abema, in a 67 kg bout, 4 kilograms above Haraguchi's usual weight. Haraguchi won the fight by unanimous decision, utilizing outfighting to score on the advancing Tofanelli.
Haraguchi was scheduled to fight a rematch with Taiga Kawabe at Rizin 23 – Yokohama. Their first match at Rizin 13 was ruled a draw. Since their first fight, Haraguchi had won all seven of his fights, while Taiga entered the fight with only a single win in past seven fights. Haraguchi dominated the entirety of the bout, knocking Taiga down three times in less than three minutes, winning the fight by a technical knockout.

RISE Dead or Alive Tournament

His position as the RISE Lightweight champion earned Haraguchi a place in the 2020 RISE Dead of Alive 63 kg tournament, being scheduled to fight the 2018 SHOOT BOXING Japan Lightweight Champion Renta Nishioka in the semifinals. The two other participants in the tournament were Naoki Tanaka and Taiju Shiratori, with Haraguchi and Shiratori being the favorites to enter the tournament final.
In the semifinals bout, Haraguchi beat Renta Nishioka through a dominant unanimous decision, justifying his role as the favorite. Haraguchi then faced Naoki Tanaka in the finals. He immediately pressured Tanaka backwards with a combination of body-head punches and managed to knock Tanaka down, after successfully pushing his opponent into the ring corner. Although Tanaka managed to beat the eight-count, the referee decided to wave the fight off due to Tanaka being unsteady on his feet. Haraguchi was awarded ¥5,000,000 for winning the tournament, as well as a ¥500,000 knockout bonus.
During the post-fight interview, Haraguchi reiterated his desire to fight Taiju Shiratori, with RISE president Takashi Ito likewise stating that the Haraguchi-Shiratori bout was in their 2021 plans.

Move to super lightweight

Haraguchi vs. Shiratori

On December 15, 2020, Haraguchi vacated the RISE Lightweight title, stating that he wanted to focus on a planned RISE Dead or Alive tournament. Haraguchi was expected to face the Glory featherweight champion Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 at RISE El Dorado in February 2021. Petpanomrung was unable to enter Japan, as the travel restrictions imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic were extended from February 7 to March 7. He was accordingly replaced by the 2019 RISE Lightweight Champion Taiju Shiratori, 24 days before the event. The two of them were previously scheduled to participate in the RISE WORLD SERIES 2020 –63 kg Tournament, which was to be held in spring of 2020, but was cancelled due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. They were also expected to fight in the final of the DEAD OR ALIVE 2020 –63 kg class tournament held on October 11, 2020, as they were both favorites in their semifinal bouts. However, Shiratori unexpectedly lost to Naoki Tanaka.
During the first round of the fight against Shiratori, Haraguchi focused on landing the right straight and body kicks on his southpaw opponent. During the second round, Haraguchi managed to knock Shiratori down twice. The first knockdown came after Haraguchi switched to southpaw and landed a partial spinning hook kick to the head of Shiratori. The second knockdown came as both fighters were turning to face each-other and Haraguchi landed a head kick from the orthodox stance. Haraguchi continued to pressure in the third round, but was unable to finish Shiratori, winning the fight by unanimous decision. During the post-fight conference, RISE representative Takashi Ito stated that the Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 fight was still in the organization's plans.