Kimura announces retirement following unification loss
Back in April we saw the Japanese Bantamweight title becoming unified with the hard hitting Yuta Saito (12-9-3, 9) [齊藤裕太] unifying his regular title with the interim title held by Hayato Kimura (28-11, 19) [木村隼人].
Today, in the wake of that loss, Kimura has announced his retirement from the sport, ending a a career that began in 2005, when he was just 15.
The talented Kimura revealed that his decision had been made to issues with his sight, and thanked those who had supported him through his career.
Kimura began his career a youngster in Thailand, but would really make his name in South Korea, winning the South Korean Super Flyweight title in 2007. He would later add the "interim" WBO Asia Pacific title to his collection before fighting in Japan for the first time.
For several years Kimura would fight between Korea, Japan, Philippines and Thailand, mixing with the likes of AJ Banal, Oleydong Sithsamerchai and Marlon Tapales, before focusing on the Japanese scene Sadly for Kimura he couldn't replicate the success he had had in Korea in Japan, and came up short in two Japanese Super Flyweight title bouts and an OPBF Super Flyweight title bout. He would end his bad run in title fights in December 2018, when he stopped Seizo Kono to become the "interim" Japanese Bantamweight champion.
Sadly for Kimura his bout with Saito, to unify that interim title with the regular title, saw him being stopped in 5 rounds. That is now set to be the final memory of his professional career.
A retirement ceremony for Kimura is expected to take place later this year, with Kimura expected to take up a coachign role at the Watanabe gym.
Today, in the wake of that loss, Kimura has announced his retirement from the sport, ending a a career that began in 2005, when he was just 15.
The talented Kimura revealed that his decision had been made to issues with his sight, and thanked those who had supported him through his career.
Kimura began his career a youngster in Thailand, but would really make his name in South Korea, winning the South Korean Super Flyweight title in 2007. He would later add the "interim" WBO Asia Pacific title to his collection before fighting in Japan for the first time.
For several years Kimura would fight between Korea, Japan, Philippines and Thailand, mixing with the likes of AJ Banal, Oleydong Sithsamerchai and Marlon Tapales, before focusing on the Japanese scene Sadly for Kimura he couldn't replicate the success he had had in Korea in Japan, and came up short in two Japanese Super Flyweight title bouts and an OPBF Super Flyweight title bout. He would end his bad run in title fights in December 2018, when he stopped Seizo Kono to become the "interim" Japanese Bantamweight champion.
Sadly for Kimura his bout with Saito, to unify that interim title with the regular title, saw him being stopped in 5 rounds. That is now set to be the final memory of his professional career.
A retirement ceremony for Kimura is expected to take place later this year, with Kimura expected to take up a coachign role at the Watanabe gym.