We are all looking for the next generation of stars in this sport and this I honestly think the next one could be Japanese teenage Hinata Maruta, a former amateur standout who is set to debut late next year.
On Monday afternoon in Osaka Maruta took part in his pro-test bout, a requirement of all licensed fighters in Japan. Unlike most pro-tests Maruta did his in front of a huge crowd, more than 1,000 people at the IMP Hall, and impressed everyone of them despite showing some early nerves.
The pro-test bout saw Maruta fight 3 3-minute rounds with former Japanese ranked Yuki Strong Kobayashi and by the end of the contest he looked like he had settled into the spirit of professional boxing showing off real talent and an understand of boxing rarely seen in such a young fighter.
Unlike many fighters who get told they can fight for pay Maruta is in no rush to make his debut and has announced that he will be making his debut in fall of 2015. Prior to that he will spend time in the US to try and build on his frame and conditioning, following in the footsteps of Ryota Murata who has also spent considerable time in the US working on various things. Like the Olympic champion Maruta is expected to go on to achieve big things in the professional ranks and although we need to wait for his debut the expectation is that he will be taking on a world ranked opponent in an attempt to gatecrash pro-boxing in style.
I’ll admit I’ve not seen a lot of Maruta as an amateur, certainly not on the same level as I managed to see of Naoya Inoue, Kosei Tanaka or Ryota Murata, though it does seem like he’s going to be put in the same bracket as that trio. It may be a while before we all get to see him but I’d suggest marking his name down on a piece of paper and remembering it for late next year when this kid is unleashed on the professional ranks.
Takahiro Onaga writes for Asianboxing.info
