SUMMARY
- On December 26, the then-unbeaten prospect took on Seiya Tsytsumi in what was an all-out firefight.
- According to reports, Anaguchi was immediately hospitalized and has yet to gain consciousness since the event.
Boxing can, at times, be the most cruel and unforgiving sport. Despite the joy and excitement that it brings to fans, it also exacts a devastating toll. As such, fans couldn’t help but look on in despair after what happened to Kazuki Anaguchi.
For those unaware, Kazuki is a 23-year-old boxing prospect hailing from Osaka, Japan. On December 26, the then-unbeaten prospect took on Seiya Tsytsumi in what was an all-out firefight. Naturally, with both bantamweights putting their undefeated status on the line, it was expected that they would fight tooth and nail to win.
Kazuki Anaguchi 🙏
According to many, he lost consciousness when he entered the waiting room and was unconscious by the time he entered the medical room. An emergency craniotomy was performed. He has not regained consciousness since the night of December 26th. He’s still… https://t.co/R27kkwQ9MW
— kamryn O’Daley (@kamrynOdaley) December 30, 2023
Eventually, Tsutsumi was declared the winner by unanimous decision at the end of the contest. In the co-main event of Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, Kazuki was knocked down four times during the fight. As such, viewers were subjected to the horrifying sight of the fighter’s legs twitching as he received treatment from doctors ringside.
However, the matter did not end there, as it was soon reported that Anaguchi had lost consciousness as he was being taken to the waiting room. After that, the fighter was fully unconscious by the time he was presented to the medical examiner. According to reports, Anaguchi was immediately hospitalized and has yet to gain consciousness since the event.
Fans react to Kazuki Anaguchi suffering a brain injury
For the most part, it is always disheartening to see an athlete suffer such an injury. At times like these, the cruelty of boxing is really highlighted. As former UFC double-champ and commentator Daniel Cormier stated, boxing is more dangerous than MMA. One of the key points put forth by Cormier was the fact that a fighter can take damage, get knocked down, and still keep fighting.
Unless the fighter gets knocked out clean, there are very few chances of the fight getting stopped. As for MMA, although plagued with late stoppages, fights are ended much sooner. Thus, boxing, in a way, puts fighters in more danger than MMA due to the nature of its stoppages. Recently, fans also witnessed a similar twitching from Bryce Mitchell after he was knocked out by Josh Emmett at UFC 296.
Hate to hear this 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
— HIM DUNCAN⚡️ (@stackztootrill) December 30, 2023
Prayers for his family and him🙏
— .Flip 🪙 (@GuzFlips) December 31, 2023
God heal this man
— SagPrincess 🎉👸🏽💅🏽 (@KeiiSerenity__) December 31, 2023
As for Kazuki, fans felt that he fought like a lion to the bitter end. Despite the four knockdowns, he kept fighting, which, in hindsight, has likely resulted in a brain injury. With that said, fans have flocked to social media to wish the fighter a speedy recovery. Taking to X, many wrote, “Prayers for his family and him,” “God heal this man,” and “Hate to hear this”.
As per reports, an emergency craniotomy was performed on the fighter. Following the procedure, doctors removed a subdural hematoma on the right side of his brain. Currently, there is no further update on the matter, as fans pray for some good news. Thus, for now, everyone will be united in keeping Kazuki Anaguchii in their prayers and wishing the prospect a speedy recovery.