Prospect Watch: Japanese Junior Featherweight Subaru Murata

Junior Featherweight Prospect Subaru Murata Gaining Momentum

Over the last few years, you’ve had a plethora of Japanese fighters making the trek to the United States to either fight or train. The latest to do so is rising junior featherweight prospect Subaru Murata (5-0, 5 KOs) who is beginning to make some noise.

As a kid, the Tokyo resident was heavily into martial arts. But he eventually gravitated to boxing, where he was a standout amateur. Fighting for the Nihon University team, Murata made it to the quarterfinals in the 2014 AIBA Youth Championships and captured the 2018 All-Japan Championships.

PLENTY OF TALENT

After signing with Japanese promotional giant Teiken, Murata made his pro debut in June 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 3kingsboxing.com has witnessed the 26-year-old in action and the best way to describe his style is that of a power boxer. He is fundamentally sound, quick and heavy-handed. At 5’7″, he has good height for a junior featherweight.

IS AMERICA BECOMING HIS SECOND HOME?

Murata’s last outing was on July 28, where he scored a third-round stoppage in Las Vegas on the undercard of Seniesa Estrada vs Leonela Yudica.

Against Centeno, Murata took the first round to feel his opponent out before showing his power in round two. Centeno went down on one knee with following a counter left-uppercut. From that moment, the Japanese fighter inflicted all kinds of punishment on his opponent. At the end of round three, Centeno wanted no more and quit in his corner.

The Centeno bout was Murata’s third fight in the United States. Teiken thinks Murata can follow in the footsteps of fellow Japanese fighters Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, who have made a name for themselves in the West. His promoters have high hopes for their charge and feel a world title is in his future.

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