Yuko Kuroki won the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) minimum weight belt with a 10-round unanimous decision over Ye Kyeng Seo on Tuesday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

After 10 rounds of fighting, the host scored 96-94 from all three judges and won the Pioneer 105-pound belt.

Kuroki’s goal was clear. She wanted to become world champion again after losing the championship to Eri Matsuda by split decision last January. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she knew she had no effortless challenge against the Korean, but was able to accept the victory.

It was a fight full of good exchanges, with both fighters having great moments, but Kuroki knew how to apply petite details to tip the scales in her favor and become world champion again.

With the victory, the 33-year-old Japanese athlete reached 24 victories, with 8 defeats, 2 draws and 10 knockouts. In Kyeng Seo’s case, her record is 7 wins, 1 loss, 3 draws and 5 knockouts.

Yuko Kuroki and Ye Kyeng Seo will fight for the World Boxing Association minimum weight belt on January 21 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. This will be the first women’s title fight in 2025.

Kuroki is ranked No. 1 in the WBA world rankings at 105 pounds and held a black-gold belt in the lower 102-pound division, defeating Mexico’s Montserrat Alarcon in a unification fight on August 5, 2023. Kuroki then lost the title to Eri Matsuda on January 12, 2024 in her first defense, the same stage where she will attempt to regain the title.

On September 29 last year, Kuroki defeated Thailand’s Wisuta Sririttidet by technical knockout in the fourth round.

On the other hand, undefeated South Korean-born Ye Kyeng Seo made her professional debut on November 14, 2020, winning a majority decision over her compatriot Soon Oh Kim and since then, she has a total of 7 wins, including 5 quick finishes and 3 draws, two of which occurred during her last 2 appearances in 2024.

For Kyeng Seo, it will be a second chance for the world title and a win in ten rounds. He first faced another Japanese woman, Riyuna Yoshikawa, where the result was a draw.

Kuroki will arrive on January 21 with 23 wins, including 10 before the limit, 8 losses and 2 draws.

The Irish boxer was the heroine of one of the most essential events of 2024, during which she fought a rematch with Amanda Serrano, defending the reign of the World Boxing Association in the 140-pound weight class, which is a solid reference.

On November 25, 2023, in a rematch with Chantelle Cameron, she became the undisputed champion of the super lightweight category, already holding the WBA lightweight crown. And a year later, at the age of 38, she showed the world that she was still a complete athlete, making her the best athlete in her country since her days as an amateur.

Taylor was a trailblazer in her homeland when women’s boxing was a shadow in the sport of boxing. She won many medals in the amateur category, winning European, national and world championships, and even a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

By the time she decided to turn professional, Taylor had fought almost 200 fights, which is sporadic in women’s boxing.

She made her professional debut in November 2016, and by October 28, 2017, with 6 fights under her belt, she won her first 135-pound world crown with the pioneering organization. He defended the WBA lightweight belt 14 times and took part in epic battles, such as the unforgettable ones against Delphine Persoon in 2019 and 2020.

As she set out to make the jump to the division, it was her turn to suffer her first loss in another tough fight against Chantelle Cameron. But her persistence saw her quickly return to the gym to try again, and that’s how she also gained 140 pounds.

Still powerful and carrying a message of faith and perseverance as a banner inspiring other women, Katie Taylor won 24 fights, 6 by knockout and only one loss.