Kazunori Hirano set to make debut less than 3 years after serious accident
Tomorrow at Korakuen Hall we'll get a rather remarkable East Japan Rookie of the Year card with 7 bouts, all of which will be at Featherweight. None of the bouts are particularly big in themselves but their is certainly some interesting sub-stories going in to the show. The most interesting of which, potentially, is that of 31 year old Kazunori Hirano (0-0) [平野和憲].
Hirano's name will not be a familiar one to many. He wasn't an amazing amateur and making his debut at the age of 31 in a Rookie of the Year bout he's certainly not expected to go to the top of the sport.
That however shouldn't take away just how remarkable it is that he's now set to make a debut in professional boxing.
Before we explain why we need to just make it clear that Hirano is the former captain of a University boxing team but only went 10-5 as an amateur.
Following his brief amateur career Hirano embarked on the world of work and left an advertising company to work as a teacher.
Sadly in November 2017, as he was thinking about taking up professional boxing, he was involved in an horrendous accident. He was riding a bicycle when he was hit by a truck, and sent flying, with the fighter stating he went sent more than 20 meters (around 65.5ft). The incident left him in the ICU with broken ribs and a dislocated sternum. Despite his injuries, and several months of recuperation, he turned professional with Naoto Mizutani acting as his mentor.
Tomorrow Hirano makes his professional debut as he takes on Yuichi Wakita (1-2) [脇田雄一], to begin a rather a career he likely assumed he's never get the chance to have following the accident. Today the two men made weight, with Hirano weighing 125.2lbs and Wakita coming in at 124.8lbs.
For fans wanting to see how Hirano does, the full event will be available to stream here on the A Sign YouTube channel and for those who miss it the even will be added, on delay, to the Boxing Raise subscription service.
Hirano's name will not be a familiar one to many. He wasn't an amazing amateur and making his debut at the age of 31 in a Rookie of the Year bout he's certainly not expected to go to the top of the sport.
That however shouldn't take away just how remarkable it is that he's now set to make a debut in professional boxing.
Before we explain why we need to just make it clear that Hirano is the former captain of a University boxing team but only went 10-5 as an amateur.
Following his brief amateur career Hirano embarked on the world of work and left an advertising company to work as a teacher.
Sadly in November 2017, as he was thinking about taking up professional boxing, he was involved in an horrendous accident. He was riding a bicycle when he was hit by a truck, and sent flying, with the fighter stating he went sent more than 20 meters (around 65.5ft). The incident left him in the ICU with broken ribs and a dislocated sternum. Despite his injuries, and several months of recuperation, he turned professional with Naoto Mizutani acting as his mentor.
Tomorrow Hirano makes his professional debut as he takes on Yuichi Wakita (1-2) [脇田雄一], to begin a rather a career he likely assumed he's never get the chance to have following the accident. Today the two men made weight, with Hirano weighing 125.2lbs and Wakita coming in at 124.8lbs.
For fans wanting to see how Hirano does, the full event will be available to stream here on the A Sign YouTube channel and for those who miss it the even will be added, on delay, to the Boxing Raise subscription service.