Yuko Kuroki


Yuko Kuroki is a Japanese professional boxer. She has been a world champion in two-weight classes having held the WBA female minimumweight title from January 2025 to October 2025, the WBC female minimumweight title from 2014 to 2017 and the unified WBO and WBA female atomweight titles from 2022 to 2024.

Professional boxing career

A professional boxer since 2008, Kuroki first challenged for a World title when she took on IBF female minimumweight title holder Etsuko Tada at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, on 3 March 2013, losing by unanimous decision.
However, she did not have to wait long to get her hands on a global belt as she won the WBC female minimumweight World title on 17 May 2014, beating defending champion Mari Ando by unanimous decision at Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan.
After five successful defenses, she lost her title on 17 December 2017, to Momo Koseki slipping to a unanimous decision defeat at Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan.
Moving down a weight division, Kuroki faced Saemi Hanagata at Korakuen Hall on 29 September 2018, with the vacant IBF female atomweight World title on the line. She lost by split decision with one ringside judge scoring the bout 96–95 in her favour while the other two gave the contest 96–94 for her opponent.
Kuroki claimed the WBO female atomweight World title on 1 September 2022, winning via unanimous decision against Nanae Suzuki at Korakuen Hall. At the same venue on 30 March 2023, she defended the title in a rematch with Suzuki, again taking a unanimous decision win.
On 5 August 2023, Kuroki became a unified world champion when she defeated WBA female atomweight title holder Monserrat Alarcón by majority decision at Central Gym, Kobe, Japan. Two judges scored 96-94 for Kuroki while the third had the fight a 95–95 tie.
Returning to Korakuen Hall on 12 January 2024, she lost her titles to Eri Matsuda going down by split decision with one judge giving her the contest 96-94 but the other two awarding it to Matsuda 96-94 and 97–93.
In her next bout, Kuroki stopped Wisuta Sririttidet in the fourth of a scheduled eight rounds at Kanada Hall, Fukuchi, Japan, on 29 September 2024.
It was announced in December 2024, that she would fight the unbeaten Ye-Kyeng Seo for the vacant WBA female minimumweight title at Korakuen Hall on 21 January 2025. Kuroki won the bout by unanimous decision with all three ringside judges scoring it 96-94.
Kuroki defended her title against Nanako Suzuki at Korakuen Hall on 26 June 2025, winning the contest via unanimous decision.
She faced WBO female minimumweight champion Sarah Bormann in a title unification bout at the Wandersbeker Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany, on 18 October 2025. Kuroki lost by split decision with one judge awarding her the bout 97-93, but the other two seeing it 97-93 and 96-95 respectively for her opponent.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
36Loss25–9–2Sarah BormannSD1018 Oct 2025Wandersbeker Sporthalle, Hamburg, GermanyLost WBA female minimumweight title; for WBO minimumweight title
35Win25–8–2Nanako SuzukiUD1026 Jun 2025Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained WBA female minimumweight title
34Win24–8–2Ye-Kyeng SeoUD1021 Jan 2025Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanWon vacant WBA female minimumweight title
33Win23–8–2Wisuta SririttidetTKO4, 1:3829 Sep 2024Kanada Hall, Fukuchi, Japan
32Loss22–8–2Eri MatsudaSD1012 Jan 2024Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanLost WBA and WBO female atomweight titles
31Win22–7–2Monserrat AlarcónMD105 Aug 2023Central Gym, Kobe, JapanRetained WBO female atomweight title; Won WBA female atomweight title
30Win21–7–2Nanae SuzukiUD1030 Mar 2023Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained WBO female atomweight title
29Win20–7–2Nanae SuzukiUD101 Sep 2022Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanWon WBO female atomweight title
28Win19–7–2Sothita SitthichaiTKO2, 0:5028 May 2022Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand
27Loss18–7–2Mizuki ChimotoMD87 Jun 2021Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanFor vacant OPBF female minimumweight title
26Draw18–6–2Nao IkeyamaSD814 Apr 2019KBS Hall, Kyoto, Japan
25Loss18–6–1Saemi HanagataSD1029 Sep 2018Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanFor vacant IBF female atomweight title
24Win18–5–1Momoko KandaUD817 Apr 2018Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
23Loss17–5–1Momo KosekiUD1017 Dec 2017Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, JapanLost WBC female minimumweight title
22Win17–4–1Mari AndoUD1018 Dec 2016Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, JapanRetained WBC female minimumweight title
21Win16–4–1Norj GuroKO8, 1:096 Jun 2016Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained WBC female minimumweight title
20Win15–4–1Nancy FrancoUD1020 Dec 2015Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, JapanRetained WBC female minimumweight title
19Win14–4–1Kanittha NinthimTKO3 16 Aug 2015Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
18Win13–4–1Masae AkitayaUD109 May 2015Aqua Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, JapanRetained WBC female minimumweight title
17Win12–4–1Katia Gutiérrez101 Nov 2014ACROS, Fukuoka, JapanRetained WBC female minimumweight title
16Win11–4–1Mari AndoUD1017 May 2014Azalea Taisho, Osaka, JapanWon WBC female minimumweight title
15Win10–4–1Aisah AlicoTKO3 16 Mar 2014Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
14Draw9–4–1Saemi Hanagata1013 Dec 2013Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanFor vacant OPBF female minimumweight title
13Loss9–4Saemi HanagataUD824 Jun 2013Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
12Loss9–3Etsuko TadaUD103 Mar 2013Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanFor WBA female minimumweight title
11Win9–2Mika OdaTKO2 16 Nov 2012Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10Win8–2Amara NaktakuUD1025 Dec 2011Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
9Win7–2Wassana KamdeeTKO4, 1:568 Jul 2011Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, JapanWon WBC Youth female atomweight title
8Win6–2Kim Na-kyungTKO3 8 May 2011Accion, Fukuoka, Japan
7Win5–2Liu Qi3 26 Dec 2010Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
6Win4–2Rinks NakaharaUD417 Oct 2010Prefectural Gymnasium, Kurume, Japan
5Win3–2Liu DalinUD423 May 2010Accion, Fukuoka, Japan
4Win2–2Amy Berezowski2 19 Dec 2009Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan
3Loss1–2Naoko ShibataMD426 Jun 2009Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2Win1–1Natsume Yokozeki45 Apr 2009Clover Plaza, Kasuga, Japan
1Loss0–1Kumiko Nishida420 Dec 2008Momochi Gym, Fukuoka, Japan