Hayato Tsutsumi: Youth World Gold and a Professional Career
Hayato Tsutsumi emerged from Japan’s amateur program as a world youth champion before building an unbeaten professional record. At the 2016 AIBA Youth World Championships in St. Petersburg, he won gold at 52 kilograms. Five years later, he scored a notable victory over three-time world champion Lázaro Álvarez at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Championships.
From amateur standout to regional champion
Tsutsumi turned professional in 2022. In his third pro bout, on May 31, 2023, he outpointed Jeo Santisima to win the vacant OPBF featherweight title—a rapid start that drew attention in Japan. He later scored a third-round stoppage of Qais Ashfaq in August 2025, extending his record to 8-0 at the time.
A return to the title picture
An orbital-floor fracture kept Tsutsumi out of a scheduled WBA super-featherweight title fight with Jazza Dickens in December 2025. He returned on July 14, 2026, facing Felix Batista in a WBA eliminator in Tokyo. After being shaken by a punch late in the opening round, Tsutsumi scored two knockdowns in round two and won by technical knockout at 1:25. The victory moved his professional record to 9-0, with six knockouts. The WBA listed him third in its September 2026 super-featherweight rankings.
Sources
- International Boxing Association: 2016 Youth World Championships results
- International Boxing Association: Tsutsumi defeats Lázaro Álvarez at the 2021 World Championships
- Boxing News: Tsutsumi wins OPBF title in his third pro bout
- The Ring: Orbital fracture cancels scheduled title fight
- The Ring: Tsutsumi stops Batista in two rounds
- Boxing News: WBA eliminator result and fight details
- WBA: Tsutsumi’s fight history and rankings
Career records and reporting: d-dreamsports.jp; boxingnews.jp.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
