Ryota Murata: record, next fight and profile →
Rob “Bravo” Brant and Ryota Murata have a painful shared history. They waged a toe-to-toe battle last October in Las Vegas that saw Brant wrest the WBA middleweight title away from Murata via unanimous decision.
Ryota Murata won his first major title by avenging the lone loss of his career. He hopes to find the same type of magic in his quest to regain that very strap. The 2012 Olympic Gold medalist from Japan will return to his home country for a planned rematch with his recent conqueror, Minnesota’s Rob Brant. Their middleweight title fight sequel will take place on either July 12 or July 13 in Osaka, Japan, with ESPN+ to stream the event live.
Former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn (19-1-1, 13 KOs) was very interested in a near $2 million offer to face Japanese superstar Ryota Murata (14-2, 11 KOs) in a middleweight clash in Tokyo. But the fight fell apart after the scheduled date was pushed back.
Olympic gold medal winner Ryota Murata of Japan, who lost his WBA "regular" middleweight title in October, announced Tuesday that he will continue his career. Following his defeat by unanimous decision to Rob Brant in his second defense of the world title, the 32-year-old Murata said he would consider whether to keep boxing or retire.
28-year-old Brant (24-1, 16 KOs) says he went into his main-event showdown with then champion Ryota Murata (14-2, 11 KOs), last Saturday night at the Park MGM in Las Vegas (and live on ESPN+), unaware he was such a heavy underdog.
NEW YORK – Ronnie Shields has “no idea” whether Gennady Golovkin will fight Jermall Charlo. Charlo’s trainer does know that unless Golovkin decides to adhere to the WBC’s order to battle Charlo in a middleweight elimination match, Shields’ fighter can’t become consumed with a fight that might not happen. For now, Houston’s Charlo has assured Shields that he is fully focused on Willie Monroe Jr., his opponent December 22 in a main event FOX will televise from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Ryota Murata said Sunday he has never felt so beaten up following his loss to Rob Brant in the WBA "regular" middleweight world title bout on Saturday. The 32-year-old Murata, the 2012 London Olympic middleweight champion, said he was only able to sleep for 30 minutes after the one-sided match that saw him on the back foot for most of the 12 rounds against his speedy opponent.
Rob Brant (24-1, 16 KOs) burst onto the scene this past weekend by pulling the upset against Ryoto Murata for the 'regular' version of the WBA middleweight title. Murata, had been talked about as a possible foe for Gennady Golovkin in Tokyo, Japan - but now those plans have gone by the wayside.
Greg Cohen Video Interview - Japan's Ryota Murata failed to defend his WBA middleweight world title on Saturday, losing to mandatory challenger Rob Brant of the United States by unanimous decision.
Rob Brant Video Interview - Japan's Ryota Murata failed to defend his WBA middleweight world title on Saturday, losing to mandatory challenger Rob Brant of the United States by unanimous decision.