Former WBO light flyweight titleholder Kosei Tanaka has vacated his belt this week in order to move up to the full flyweight division. I have Tanaka ranked as the top light flyweight in the world, so this is big news for the lightest divisions in the sport.
Despite being only twenty two and having only ten professional fights, Japanese light flyweight Kosei Tanaka (10-0, 6 KOs) is already a two division world titleholder. In May of 2015, Tanaka picked up the WBO minimumweight title in only his fifth pro fight. After defending it once, he moved to light flyweight where he won the WBO belt again there in his second fight in the division. The young Japanese sensation has defended that belt twice, most recently in September in a tougher than expected outing against Thailand’s Palangpol CP Freshmart.
Now he will be moving up to 112 lbs at full flyweight. If Tanaka is to continue to fight for WBO titles, he will find himself in against fellow countryman and Zou Shiming conqueror Sho Kimura. The WBA title is currently vacant with Kazuto Ioka’s retirement, however. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up going in that direction instead in challenging for his third world title.
Of note, the WBO already sanctioned a new light flyweight title fight only a day or so after Tanaka’s initial announcement. Recent Tanaka victim Angel Acosta of Puerto Rico has won it.
