Yuko Kuroki

Yuko Kuroki (黒木優子) is a Japanese professional boxer who is a former two-weight World champion having held the WBC female minimumweight title as well as the WBO and WBA female atomweight titles during her career.

Career
A professional boxer since 2008, Kuroki first challenged for a World title when she took on IBF female minimumweight title holder Etsuko Tada at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, on 3 March 2013, losing by unanimous decision.

However, she did not have to wait long to get her hands on a global belt as she won the WBC female minimumweight World title on 17 May 2014, beating defending champion Mari Ando by unanimous decision at Azalea Taisho, Osaka, Japan.

After five successful defenses, she lost her title on 17 December 2017, to Momo Koseki slipping to a unanimous decision defeat at Kyuden Gym, Fukuoka, Japan.

Moving down a weight division, Kuroki faced Saemi Hanagata at Korakuen Hall on 29 September 2018, with the vacant IBF female atomweight World title on the line. She lost by split decision with one ringside judge scoring the bout 96–95 in her favour while the other two gave the contest 96–94 for her opponent.

Kuroki claimed the WBO female atomweight World title on 1 September 2022, winning via unanimous decision against Nanae Suzuki at Korakuen Hall. At the same venue on 30 March 2023, she defended the title in a rematch with Suzuki, again taking a unanimous decision win.

On 5 August 2023, Kuroki became a unified World champion when she defeated WBA female atomweight title holder Monserrat Alarcón by majority decision at Central Gym, Kobe, Japan. Two judges scored 96-94 for Kuroki while the third had the fight a 95–95 tie.

Returning to Korakuen Hall on 12 January 2024, she lost her titles to Eri Matsuda going down by split decision with one judge giving her the contest 96-94 but the other two awarding it to Matsuda 96-94 and 97–93.