By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Naoki Fukuda
The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) on Friday (April 19) announced to suspend WBC#8, WBA#10 featherweight Hayato Tsutsumi (5-0, 2 KOs), 24, for six months from April 16 (the weigh-in day) because he failed to make the contracted 126-pound by no less than three and a half pound. Also Tsutsumi was fined 20 percent of his purse due to his violation of JBC’s rules and regulations. Hayato, after the fight, explained that he suffered a fever caused by corona virus infection while training in Las Vegas on March 26. After he came home from Vegas, he couldn’t do good training and eventually had a difficulty making weight. The bright prospect who had won thirteen national amateur belts prior to his entry into the paid ranks, this time with a dark reputation due to this overweight incident, is hoped to make a sound comeback since we know he is so vastly talented that he will certainly follow “Monster” Inoue’s footstep.
A bit lenient considering the harsher penaltues the JBC had given to non Japanese fighters
As I said before, JBC is a more strict entity than the ones we have in North America. In USA you can miss weight, and a chunk of money makes every one happy:), comissions included
Really not much of a penalty, when you consider they usually only fight two or three times a year.
I concur, the JBC gives severe suspension to non Japanese fighters. Nery comes to mind.
Which they canceled the suspension for this mega fight.
I don’t know how he makes the featherweight limit. He might have to jump up, especially as his body matures. Respect to Japan for not playing games with the rules. This discipline carries over to all of their fields.