Shiro (kickboxer)
Shiro Matsumoto (松本志朗, Matsumoto Shirō, born June 23, 1993), better known by his ring name Shiro, is a Japanese Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer. He currently competes in the bantamweight division of RISE, where he is the inaugural and current RISE Bantamweight World champion. Shiro is the 2020 RISE DoA Bantamweight tournament winner,[1] the 2021 RISE DoA Super Flyweight tournament runner-up and the 2019 RISE World Series tournament runner-up.[2][3] As a muay thai fighter, he held the Rangsit Stadium International Bantamweight championship and the ISKA Muay Thai World Bantamweight championship.[4] As of August 2023, he is ranked as the best flyweight (-56.7kg) kickboxer in the world by Combat Press and the best super flyweight (-55kg) kickboxer by Beyond Kick.[5][6] Combat Press has continually ranked him as a top ten fighter under 58 kg since September 2020.[7] Professional careerMuay thai careerShiro entered a special schedule high school so that he could spend time training and fighting in Thailand during the year at the 96 Penang Gym.[8] Shiro made his debut in 2009, in the renowned Lumpini Stadium, against Sensak Siwarugni. He won the fight by decision. He amassed a 12-4 record over the next three years, earning a chance to fight Rui Ebata for the SNKA Bantamweight title at the SNKA BRAVE HEARTS 19. The fight ended in a draw.[9] During the SNKA WINNERS 2016 event, Shiro fought Daniel McGowan for the ISKA World Muay Thai Bantamweight title.[10] He won the fight by a unanimous decision.[11] For his first title defense, he fought Adrian Lopez at SNKA WINNERS 2017 2nd.[12] Shiro won the fight by a third round KO.[13] For his second title defense, Shiro was scheduled to fight Gonsalo Tebar at the HOOST CUP Nagoya 4.[14] He won the fight by a second round body kick KO.[15] RISE tournamentsFeatherweight DoA TournamentShiro took part in the 2019 Rise World Series Featherweight (-58 kg) tournament. In the quarterfinals, held on March 10, 2019, he faced Vladyslav Mykytas.[16] Shiro won the fight by a third round knockout. He first knocked his opponent down with a low kick and stopped him with another low kick shortly after.[17] Shiro advanced to the semifinals, held on July 21, 2019, where he faced the Rajadamnern Stadium super featherweight champion Rungkit Wor.Sanprapai.[18] He won the fight by split decision, after an extra fourth round was contested.[19] Shiro faced the pound for pound talent Tenshin Nasukawa in the finals, which were held on September 16, 2019.[20] Nasukawa won the fight by a unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 30–28 and one scorecard of 30–29.[2][21] Shiro faced Yuki Kyotani in a bantamweight (-55kg) bout at RISE 136 on January 13, 2020.[22] He won the fight by majority decision, with scores of 29–29, 30–29 and 30–29.[23] Shiro was next scheduled to faced Kiyoshi at RISE 140 on July 19, 2020.[24] He won the fight by a first-round knockout, flooring Kiyoshi with a right cross 64 seconds into the bout.[25] Bantamweight DoA TournamentShiro took part in the 2020 RISE Dead or Alive Bantamweight (-55 kg) Tournament. The entire one-day tournament was held at RISE DEAD OR ALIVE 2020 Osaka on November 1, 2020. He was expected to face the former BigBang Super Bantamweight champion Rasta Kido in the semifinals.[26] Kido withdrew from the tournament on October 8, as he failed to sufficiently recover from a right orbital floor fracture he sustained in his September 27, 2020, bout with Mutsuki Ebata. He was replaced by the former SHOOTBOXING Japan super bantamweight champion Seiki Ueyama, who stepped in on a month's notice.[27] Shiro won the fight by majority decision. Two of the judges scored the fight 30–29 and 30–28 in his favor, while the third judge scored the fight an even 29–29 draw.[28] Shiro advanced to the finals, where he faced the reigning RISE Bantamweight champion Masahiko Suzuki. He won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him every single round of the bout.[1] He was given a 5 million yen prize for winning the tournament, which he donated for the 2020 Kyushu floods relief. Aside from winning the money prize, capturing the tournament title earned Shiro the chance to face Tenshin Nasukawa for the second time.[29] Shiro was booked to rematch Tenshin Nasukawa on February 28, 2021, in the main event of Rise Eldorado 2021.[30] He lost the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30–28 for Nasukawa.[31] Super Flyweight DoA TournamentShiro was expected to face the RISE Super Flyweight (-53 kg) champion Kazuki Osaki in a bantamweight (-55kg) bout, at RISE on Abema on May 15, 2021.[32] Osaki withdrew from the bout due to COVID-19 related issues on May 12.[33] Shiro instead faced Issei Ishii in an exhibition bout, which ended in pre-determined draw.[34] Shiro was booked to face Koudai Hirayama in the quarterfinals of the 2021 RISE Dead or Alive Super Flyweight (-53kg) Tournament, which were held on July 18, 2021.[35] The fight was ruled a majority decision draw after the first three rounds were contested, with one judge scoring it 30–29 for Shiro, while the remaining two judges scored it a 30–30 draw. Shiro knocked Koudai down with a one-two in the extra fourth round, which awarded him a 10-8 round on all three of the judges scorecards for a unanimous decision win.[36] Shiro was expected to face Kazuki Osaki in the tournament semifinals, which took place on September 23, 2021.[37] Osaki withdrew from the bout with an ankle injury on August 24, and was replaced by his brother Koki Osaki.[38] Koki Osaki missed weight by 3.2 kg at the official weigh-ins and was accordingly replaced by Koudai.[39] Shiro beat Koudai for the second time in two months, once again by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 30–28 and one scorecard of 30–29. He advanced to the tournament finals, which were likewise held on September 23. Shiro lost the final match against by an extra round unanimous decision.[3] RISE Bantamweight World championTitle runShiro faced the KNOCK OUT Super Bantamweight champion Rui Ebata at RISE El Dorado 2022 on April 2, 2022.[40] He won the fight by a second-round knockout, flooring Ebata with a high kick.[41] Shiro faced the two-time K-1 super bantamweight World Grand Prix runner-up Masashi Kumura at The Match 2022 on June 19, 2022.[42] He lost the fight by a narrow unanimous decision.[43] Shiro faced Koki Osaki at RISE World Series 2022 on October 15, 2022. They were initially expected to face each other in the semifinals of the 2021 RISE "Dead or Alive" bantamweight tournament, before the fight was cancelled due to Osaki missing weight.[44] Shiro won the fight by unanimous decision after an extra fourth round was contested, as the bout was ruled a draw following the first three rounds, with all three judges scoring it 29–29.[45] Shiro faced the reigning RISE Bantamweight champion Masahiko Suzuki in a non-title bout at RISE WORLD SERIES / SHOOTBOXING-KINGS on December 25, 2022.[46] He won the fight by majority decision, with scores of 30–29, 30–29 and 29–29.[47] Shiro faced Diesellek Wor.Wanchai for the inaugural RISE Bantamweight World Championship at RISE EL DORADO 2023 on March 26, 2023.[48] He won the fight by a fifth-round knockout, flooring Diesellek with a head kick at the 2:38 minute mark of the final round.[49] World Series tournamentShiro faced Ruben Seoane in the quarterfinals of the 2023 RISE World Series, held on July 2, 2023.[50] He won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 30–29 in his favor.[51] Shiro advanced to the tournament semifinals, held on August 26, where he faced the one-time Rajadamnern Stadium champion Kumandoi Petchyindee Academy.[52] He lost the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 30–28, 29–27 and 30–27. Shiro was knocked down with a right straight in the second round, which proved pivotal on two of the judges' scorecards.[53] Title reignShiro faced Boonlong PetchyindeeAcademy at RISE WORLD SERIES 2023 Final Round on December 16, 2023. He won the fight by a first-round knockout.[54] Shiro was expected to make his first RISE Bantamweight (-55kg) World title defense against Toki Tamaru at RISE ELDORADO 2024 on March 17, 2024.[55] The fight ended in a no-contest, as an accidental clash of heads left Shiro unable to continue competing.[56] Shiro faced the ISKA Argentina Featherweight champion Christian Manzo at RISE 179 on June 30, 2024.[57] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[58] Shiro made his first RISE Bantamweight (-55kg) World title defense against Toki Tamaru at RISE WORLD SERIES 2024 YOKOHAMA on September 8, 2024.[59] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[60] Shiro revealed, during a post-fight press conference, that he was suffering from a boxer's knuckle in his right hand.[61] Titles and accomplishments
Awards Fight record
See alsoReferences
|