On August 29, the OPBF held a ceremony at Korakuen Hall in Suidobashi, Tokyo, during “Pioneer of Fight.12 & Yamato Damashii 21” to present an honorary belt in recognition of the achievements of the late Shigetoshi Kotari, a former OPBF-ranked super featherweight who passed away last year.
On August 2 last year, Kotari challenged for the OPBF Super Featherweight Championship. The bout ended in a draw on the judges’ scorecards, leaving him just short of achieving his long-held dream of winning the championship belt. His condition subsequently deteriorated, and he was rushed to hospital. He passed away on August 8 at the age of 28.
At the ceremony, OPBF Chairman Minoru Hagiwara presented the OPBF honorary belt to Kotari’s older brother, Masaya, who serves as a trainer at Matsuda Boxing Gym.
The OPBF once again pays tribute to Kotari’s fighting spirit and achievements. We will continue our efforts to ensure that this tragedy is never forgotten and to create a safer environment for the sport of boxing.
