Ryota Murata Announces Retirement Following 2022 Golovkin Loss
The boxing community has lost one of its warriors as two-time WBA middleweight champion Ryota Murata (16-3, 13KO) has decided to hang up the gloves. This is no shock to most pundits, considering Murata has been quiet about returning to the ring since getting stopped in a unification against Gennady Golovkin in April 2022.
According to a Japanese paper called Kyodo News, the two-time champion explained that thoughts of retirement first came to mind after the Golovkin loss.
“Inside my head, I’m thinking, ‘that was my last’. I just haven’t been able to announce it until now, but that’s how I’m thinking, personally.”
Murata is honored as the first fighter from Japan to win an Olympic gold medal and a world championship. Moreover, he was a major star in his country, second to former undisputed bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
A LOOK BACK AT HIS CAREER
Murata has bounced back from tough losses in the past. In 2017, he lost a close split decision to Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam. Yet, Murata quickly captured the title in a rematch five months later. In his third appearance fighting in the United States, Murata lost the title after being thoroughly outclassed by Rob Brant in 2018. Once again, he reclaimed the title in a rematch with a savage five-round beatdown of Brant.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had him sidelined for the following two years. The 37-year-old hasn’t proven to be an upper-echelon fighter in his career. However, his two returns to the ring to make definitive statements in the rematches are proof Murata had heart.
3kingsboxing.com would like to thank the two-time champion for nine years of service to boxing.
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