Mika Iwakawa


Mika Iwakawa is a Japanese professional boxer who held the IBF atomweight title from 2022 to 2024 and the WBO atomweight title from 2018 to 2022.
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Professional career

Early career

Iwakawa made her professional debut on 19 December 2011, where she defeated Shoko Hayashida by knockout KO in a four-round bout at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. 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 female light flyweight 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 in Tokyo, Japan. 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. 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. 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 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.
Iwakawa lost the IBF World title to fellow Japanese boxer Sumire Yamanaka with a unanimous decision defeat at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on 12 January 2024.

Post-title career

Aged 41, Iwakawa faced 17 year old Camila Zamorano for the vacant WBC interim female atomweight title in Hermosillo, Mexico, on 14 June 2025, but lost on a unanimous decision.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
22Loss13–8–1Camila ZamoranoUD1014 Jun 2025El Centro de Usos Múltiples, Hermosillo, MexicoFor vacant WBC interim female atomweight title
21Win13–7–1Wisuta SririttidetUD630 Mar 2025Hiokayama Gym, Kakogawa, Japan
20Loss12–7–1Sumire YamanakaUD1012 Jan 2024Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanLost IBF female atomweight title
19Win12–6–1Ploypailin PalatsrichuaiTKO3, 0:4526 Feb 2023Chres Gym, Kōchi, Japan
18Win11–6–1Ayaka MiyaoUD101 Sep 2022Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanWon IBF female atomweight title
17Loss10–6–1Nanae SuzukiSD1025 Feb 2022Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanLost WBO female atomweight title
16Win10–5–1Nanae SuzukiSD1026 Sep 2020Central Gym, Kobe, JapanRetained WBO female atomweight title
15Win9–5–1Momoko KandaUD87 Dec 2019Art Center, Kobe, Japan
14Win8–5–1Nao Ikeyama1029 Jul 2018KBS Hall, Kyoto, JapanWon WBO female atomweight title
13Win7–5–1Amonrat WongpiyamaratKO4, 1:0422 Oct 2017Mirai Chushin, Kurayoshi, Japan
12Loss6–5–1Yunoka FurukawaMD1013 Dec 2016Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanFor WBA female atomweight title
11Win6–4–1Narirat Klaphom2, 1:0820 Aug 2016Komagatani Gym, Sanda, JapanWon vacant OPBF female light-flyweight title
10Loss5–4–1Brisa HernandezUD610 Jun 2016Asociación Mexico Japonesa, Mexico City, Mexico
9Win5–3–1Sana HazukiUD61 Mar 2016Central Gym, Kobe, Japan
8Win4–3–1Aiko YamagishiUD617 Oct 2015Sangyo Hall, Kanazawa, Japan
7Loss3–3–1Satomi NishimuraUD624 May 2015Kyushu Kyoritsu University, Kitakyushu, Japan
6Loss3–2–1Nao Ikeyama614 Dec 2013Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan
5Draw3–1–1Kumiko Seeser Ikehara1, 1:4410 Aug 2013Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan
4Loss3–1Mako YamadaUD69 Feb 2013Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan
3Win3–0Kumiko Seeser IkeharaUD416 Sep 2012Yomiuri Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, Japan
2Win2–0Makoto Tsukashita417 Jun 2012Aioi Hall, Kariya, Japan
1Win1–0Shoko Hayashida3, 0:5419 Dec 2011Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan