Kosei Tanaka is prepared to leave the flyweight division in the past, in exchange for a history-making future.

A void now exists at 112 pounds, as the unbeaten three-division titlist has abandoned his World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight reign. The development was announced at a press conference Tuesday in Tanaka’s hometown of Nagoya, Japan.

“I will fight in the super flyweight division this year and aim for a world title in a fourth weight class,” Tanaka (15-0, 9KOs) declared.

The move comes less than a month after earning “Super” champion status by the WBO, a distinction reserved for boxers who have enjoyed lengthy title reigns, have held titles in multiple weight divisions or have established themselves as elite-level talent. All three of Tanaka’s title reigns have involved the WBO, claiming the sanctioning body’s crown at strawweight, junior flyweight and flyweight.

Tanaka achieved the latter of the three in just his 12th pro bout, outlasting countryman Sho Kimura in their September 2018 war which was rightly named 2018 Fight of the Year by several publications, including BoxingScene.com. The feat also allowed Tanaka to join two-time Olympic Gold medalist and current pound-for-pound entrant Vasiliy Lomachenko in the record books as the quickest run to three-divisional titles by a male boxer.

With eyes on a 115-pound crown, there exists plenty of time for Tanaka to become the fastest boxer in history—male or female—to claim titles in four weight divisions.

It’s no secret that the 24-year old all-action star is keen on a showdown with countryman Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14KOs), currently the only male boxer from Japan to win four divisional titles. The future Hall of Famer achieved that feat last June, stopping Aston Palicte in 10 rounds to win the WBO 115-pound title he has since defended with a 12-round decision over previously unbeaten Jeyvier Cintron last New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, Japan.

The same card saw Tanaka lodge his final flyweight title defense, tearing through Thailand’s Wulan Tuolehazi in three rounds.

Ioka sensed the writing on the wall, as he has since angled for a unification clash with Juan Francisco Estrada, the division’s lineal and World Boxing Council (WBC) champion. The offer was met with disinterest, as Estrada’s handlers—Fernando Beltran’s Zanfer Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing USA—are keen on the pound-for-pound entrant from Mexico next facing the winner of the February 29 World Boxing Association (WBA) 115-pound title fight between unbeaten defending titlist Kal Yafai (26-0, 15KOs) and former four-division champ Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. 

Tanaka’s desire is simply to fight ‘em all—though, of course, not all at once and perhaps not even right away. 

“There are a lot of strong fighters in this weight division and I still need to improve my overall skills,” admits Tanaka who will likely first test the waters at junior bantamweight before diving into the deep end. “But I would like to face any of the champions.

“Estrada and Ioka are the best [in the division] and who I would like to [meet in the ring].”

Tanaka’s countrywoman, Naoka Fujioka became a four-division titlist in her 18th pro fight when she won a flyweight belt. The 44-year old boxing icon claimed a fifth divisional title one fight later, though relinquishing the vacant 108-pound crown in favor of remaining at 112 pounds.

At a full 20 years younger than Fujioka and six years Ioka’s junior, Tanaka has time and enough fights to surpass both as Japan’s quickest and youngest to claim four divisional titles.

Historically, he would rank only behind Oscar de la Hoya on the youth chart should he claim a junior bantamweight strap. The Hall of Fame former six-division titlist and current leading promoter conquered his fourth division—a narrow 12-round win over then-World welterweight champion, the late, great Pernell Whitaker—just two months after his 24th birthday and in his 24th pro fight.

Tanaka turns 25 in June, though still has eight fights to surpass de la Hoya as the quickest to turn the trick.

As for the vacancy atop the WBO flyweight rankings, a title fight is expected to be ordered by the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body in the coming days. The top two contenders are Philippines’ Giemel Magramo (24-1, 20KOs) and Puerto Rico’s former 108-pound king Angel ‘Tito’ Acosta (21-2, 21KOs), both of whom have already—although unofficially—expressed interest in fighting for a flyweight title.

Acosta dropped a 12-round decision to Tanaka in their May 2017 vacant 108-pound title fight, though claimed the belt just seven months later after Tanaka moved up in weight to set his sights on a third division.

History has a chance to repeat itself in 2020, with Acosta in position to claim another vacant belt while Tanaka once again seeks to etch his name in the record books.