Keita Obara


Keita Obara is a Japanese professional boxer who challenged for the IBF and IBO light-welterweight titles in 2016. At regional level he held the WBC-OPBF light-welterweight title from 2014 to 2015 and the WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title twice between 2017 and 2018.

Professional career

Early career

Obara made his professional debut on 9 August 2010, losing via fifth-round technical knockout in a six-round bout against Kazuyoshi Kumano at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
After compiling a record of 7–1 he defeated Hayato Hokazono via fourth-round knockout, capturing the vacant Japanese light-welterweight title on 8 April 2013 at the Korakuen Hall. He went on to successfully defend the title twice that year – a third-round KO against So Takenaka in August and a ninth-round TKO against Tetsuya Hasunuma in December – before defeating Jay Solmiano on 14 April 2014 at the Korakuen Hall, capturing the vacant WBC-OPBF light-welterweight title via fourth-round KO.
He successfully defended the title twice along with two victories in non-title fights, winning all by stoppage, before making his American debut against Walter Castillo on 7 November 2015 at Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami, Florida. The bout served as an IBF light-welterweight title eliminator, with the winner being in line to face newly crowned IBF champion Eduard Troyanovsky. In what some described as a controversial decision, the contest ended in a majority draw, with one judge scoring the bout 115–113 in favour of Obara while the other two scored it even at 114–114.

World title challenge

Following the draw with Castillo, the IBF ordered an immediate rematch to determine Troyanovsky's mandatory challenger. The IBF set a purse bid for Obara and Castillo to take place on 29 December, with the bid being postponed as both sides were close to agreeing a deal. After Castillo eventually refused the rematch, Obara defeated Sin Maneesri with a first-round TKO in a stay-busy fight in April 2016 before facing Troyanovsky as the IBF mandatory challenger. The bout took place on 9 September 2016 at the Soviet Wings Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia, with Troyanovsky's lightly regarded IBO light-welterweight title also on the line. In a short but action packed contest, Obara staggered the champion in the first round with a right hand but was unable to capitalise and score a knockdown. Troyanovsky attacked with more intensity in the second, landing a right hand to stagger Obara. The champion followed up with a flurry of punches, pinning Obara against the ropes before knocking him down with a right hand, sending Obara through the ropes and onto the judges' table. Obara managed to get back into the ring, only to be met by a sustained attack from the champion, prompting referee Michael Ortega to step in and call off the bout, awarding Troyanovsky a second-round TKO victory. The loss would be the second of Obara's career, and the first since losing his professional debut six years prior.

Move to welterweight

Following the loss to Troyanovsky, Obara moved up to welterweight. His first fight at the weight was an eight-round UD victory against Larry Siwu in April 2017. In his next fight he defeated Narong Bunchan, capturing the vacant WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title by second-round TKO on 10 August 2017 at the Korakuen Hall. He defended the title with a fifth-round KO against Shusaku Fujinaka in December before facing Alvin Lagumbay on 12 April 2018 at the Korakuen Hall. In a rare occurrence, a double knockdown was scored in the second round after both fighters landed hard left hooks at the same time. Lagumbay rose to his feet appearing unhurt while Obara struggled to stand. Eventually making it to his feet on unsteady legs, the referee decided to wave off the fight, awarding Lagumbay the WBO Asia Pacific title via second round TKO and handing Obara the third defeat of his career. The loss was considered an upset as Lagumbay had moved up multiple weight classes for the fight while Obara was ranked No. 6 by the WBO and No. 8 by the IBF. An immediate rematch was made, taking place at the same venue on 9 August 2018. Obara would get his revenge, regaining the title with a third-round TKO.
His next fight was a final eliminator for the IBF welterweight title, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger to Errol Spence Jr. The bout took place on 30 March 2019 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Suffering the fourth defeat of his career, Obara lost by UD over twelve rounds, with the judges' scorecards reading 118–110, 117–111 and 115–113.
He bounced back from defeat with stoppage wins against Yosmar Kefi in June and Toshiro Tarumi in October, before defeating Yuki Nagano on 1 February 2020 at the Korakuen Hall to capture the Japanese welterweight title.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
28Win23–4–1 Yuki NaganoTKO7, 2:391 Feb 2020Won Japanese welterweight title
27Win22–4–1 Toshiro TarumiTKO4, 2:5926 Oct 2019
26Win21–4–1 Yosmar KefiTKO4, 0:5813 Jun 2019
25Loss20–4–1 Kudratillo AbdukakhorovUD1230 Mar 2019
24Win20–3–1 Alvin LagumbayTKO3, 1:089 Aug 2018Won WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title
23Win19–3–1 Alvin LagumbayKO2, 2:3612 Apr 2018Lost WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title
22Win19–2–1 Shusaku FujinakaKO5, 1:2914 Dec 2017Retained WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title
21Win18–2–1 Narong BunchanTKO2, 2:4310 Aug 2017Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title
20Win17–2–1 Larry Siwu813 Apr 2017
19Win16–2–1 Eduard TroyanovskyTKO2, 1:359 Sep 2016Soviet Wings Sport Palace, Moscow, Russia.png" />For IBF, and IBO light-welterweight titles
18Win16–1–1 Sin ManeesriTKO1, 2:3114 Apr 2016
17Draw15–1–1 Walter Castillo127 Nov 2015Miami, Florida, US.png" />
16Win15–1 Praruehat ChaisukKO3, 2:0610 Aug 2015
15Win14–1 Yuya OkazakiTKO6, 1:2113 Apr 2015Retained WBC-OPBF light-welterweight title
14Win13–1 Rodel WenceslaoTKO5, 1:368 Dec 2014
13Win12–1 Shinya IwabuchiTKO12, 0:1911 Aug 2014Retained WBC-OPBF light-welterweight title
12Win11–1 Jay SolmianoKO4, 1:5014 Apr 2014Won vacant WBC-OPBF light-welterweight title
11Win10–1 Tetsuya HasunumaTKO9, 1:429 Dec 2013Retained Japanese light-welterweight title
10Win9–1 So TakenakaKO3, 2:3425 Aug 2013Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan.png" />Retained Japanese light-welterweight title
9Win8–1 Hayato Hokazono4, 2:008 Apr 2013Won vacant Japanese light-welterweight title
8Win7–1 Hayato HokazonoTKO8, 0:3314 Nov 2012
7Win6–1 Kazuya MarukiTKO8, 1:2513 Aug 2012
6Win5–1 Yuichi IdetaTKO6, 1:1730 Mar 2012
5Win4–1 Kengo NagashimaTKO2, 2:0527 Jan 2012
4Win3–1 Kota OguchiTKO3, 2:0010 Oct 2011
3Win2–1 Daichi Sakoda5, 0:1130 May 2011
2Win1–1 Makoto MoriTKO2, 1:5013 Dec 2010
1Loss0–1 Kazuyoshi Kumano5, 1:069 Aug 2010