Hiroki Akimoto
Hiroki Akimoto (秋元 皓貴, Akimoto Hiroki, born August 31, 1992) is a Japanese martial artist and kickboxer. He competes in ONE Championship's bantamweight and flyweight division, where he is the reigning ONE Kickboxing Bantamweight World Champion.[2][3]
| Hiroki Akimoto | |
|---|---|
| Born | 秋元皓貴 August 31, 1992 Toyota, Aichi, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese[1] |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (65.8 kg; 10.4 st) |
| Division | Bantamweight (145 lb) Flyweight (135 lb) |
| Reach | 67.3 in (171 cm) |
| Style | Kyokushin Karate |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Singapore |
| Team | Evolve MMA Shoryukai Gym MMA |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 27 |
| Wins | 26 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| Losses | 1 |
As of December 2021, he is ranked as the fourth best featherweight in the world by Combat Press.[4]
Background
Japanese-born Akimoto began his martial arts journey at the age of eight. He took up Kyokushin karate and became a top talent over his years of training. Both of his parents were instructors in the discipline, but he was never forced to participate. It was not until he was involved in a fight at school did he decide to take up martial arts.[5]
As his skills grew, he turned to competition. He did not stick with karate, and also competed in Muay Thai and kickboxing bouts. To get the most of his talents, Akimoto moved from Japan to Singapore to train at Evolve MMA and pursue a world title in ONE Championship.[6]
Kickboxing career
Akimoto got off to an incredible start to his professional career. He racked up 19 straight kickboxing victories that would lead him to be signed by ONE Championship.
ONE Championship
He would make his organizational debut on January 25, 2019 at ONE Championship: Hero’s Ascent. On January 25, 2019, Akimoto defeated Josh Tonna by unanimous decision at ONE Championship: Hero's Ascent.
The now 20–0 striker returned to competition on March 31, 2019 at ONE Championship: A New Era against Joseph Lasiri. Akimoto dropped the bout by majority decision, suffering his first professional defeat.[7]
On July 12, 2019, Akimoto defeated Kenny Tse to bring his overall kickboxing record to 21–1 at ONE Championship: Masters of Destiny.[8]
Move to Bantamweight
On October 17, 2020, Akimoto defeated Zhang Chenglong at ONE Championship: Reign of Dynasties 2 by split decision.[9] Due to the close decision, the pair were immediately booked for a rematch at ONE Championship: Fists Of Fury on February 26, 2021. Akimoto defeated Zhang by unanimous decision.
Akimoto faced former Wu Lin Feng kickboxing champion Qiu Jianliang at ONE Championship: Winter Warriors on December 3, 2021.[10] He won the bout via unanimous decision.[11]
Bantamweight kickboxing champion
Akimoto challenged the reigning ONE Bantamweight kickboxing champion Capitan Petchyindee Academy at ONE Championship: X on March 25, 2022.[12] He won the fight by unanimous decision, after controlling the final four rounds of the bout. Capitan was twice warned for illegal clinching and was deducted a point for it in the fourth round.[13][14]
Titles and accomplishments
Kickboxing
Amateur
- MA Japan Kickboxing Federation
- 2008 MAJKF All Japan Tournament Champion[15]
- K-1
- 2010 K-1 Koshien Tournament Runner-up
Professional
- ONE Championship
- ONE Kickboxing Bantamweight World Champion (one time, current)
- Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Capitan Petchyindee Academy
- MA Japan Kickboxing Federation
- 2012 MAJKF Featherweight Champion[16]
- WBC Muay Thai
- 2012 WBC Muay Thai Japan Featherweight Champion[17]
Karate
- Japanese Fullcontact Karate Organization
- 2014 JFKO All Japan Full Contact Karate Lightweight 3rd Place
- 2015 JFKO All Japan Full Contact Karate Lightweight Runner-up
- 2016 JFKO All Japan Full Contact Karate Lightweight 3rd Place
- 2017 JFKO All Japan Full Contact Karate Lightweight Champion
Amateur Kyokushin
- Kyokushin World Federation
- 2016 KWF Russian Open Lightweight 1st Place
- 2017 KWF Karate Grand Prix Lightweight Champion
- 2018 KWF Karate Grand Prix Lightweight Champion
Professional Kyokushin
- World Fighting Kyokushin Organization
- 2018 WFKO World Pro Kyokushin Champion[18]
Fight record
| 26 Wins (10 (T)KO's), 1 Loss, 0 Draw, 0 No Contest | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-25 | Win |  Capitan Petchyindee Academy | ONE Championship: X | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Wins the ONE Kickboxing Bantamweight title | ||||||||
| 2021-12-03 | Win |  Qiu Jianliang | ONE Championship: Winter Warriors | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2021-02-26 | Win | Zhang Chenglong | ONE Championship: Fists Of Fury | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2020-10-17 | Win | Zhang Chenglong | ONE Championship: Reign of Dynasties 2 | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Split) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2019-07-12 | Win | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Kenny Tse | ONE Championship: Masters Of Destiny | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2019-03-31 | Loss |  Joseph Lasiri | ONE Championship: A New Era | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Majority) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2019-01-25 | Win | Josh Tonna | ONE Championship: Hero's Ascent | Pasay, Philippines | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2013-04-14 | Win | Surachai Sisuriyanyothin | MAJKF DRAGON ROAD ONE AND ONLY TAKE 1 | Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| 2012-12-02 | Win |  Shunta | BigBang 11 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| 2012-10-07 | Win | Yosuke Morii | MAJKF BREAK-30 ～UNIFICATION～ | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Wins WBC Muay Thai Japan Featherweight title. | ||||||||
| 2012-07-15 | Win | Daiki Fujisawa | MAJKF KICK GUTS 2012 | Tokyo, Japan | TKO (Doctor Stoppage/Left Elbow) | 1 | 1:28 | |
| Wins MA Japan Kick Featherweight title. | ||||||||
| 2012-05-06 | Win | Kenryu | MAJKF BREAK-25 ～CANNONBALL～ | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Right Front Kick) | 1 | 2:52 | |
| 2012-02-25 | Win | Fumiya Sasaki | BigBang 8 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Left High Kick) | 1 | 2:40 | |
| 2011-08-21 | Win | Atsushi Masukura | BigBang 6 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (High Knee) | 3 | 0:18 | |
| 2011-07-24 | Win | Pinsiam Sor.Amnuaysirichoke | MAJKF J-1 time ～signal of start～ | Aichi Prefecture, Japan | KO (Left hook to the body) | 2 | 0:54 | |
| 2011-05-15 | Win | Shota | BigBang 5 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Left Knee) | 1 | 1:46 | |
| 2011-02-05 | Win | TURBO | BigBang 4 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Flying Knee) | 2 | 1:05 | |
| 2010-09-23 | Win | Seidou Yamaguchi | BigBang 3 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2010-05-04 | Win | Kyoji Bancho | MAJKF Explosion-1 | Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2010-04-04 | Win | Toshiya Sudou | MAJKF Boukohyouga Sono Ichi | Chiba, Japan | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | 2 | 1:17 | |
| 2010-03-14 | Win | Tadashi Matsumoto | NAGOYA KICK ～CENTRAL RHYTHM～ | Chiba, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2010-01-31 | Win | Shoya Suzuki | NAGOYA KICK ～KICK Hopping！～ | Nagoya, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2009-03-08 | Win | Masayuki Ishibashi | NAGOYA KICK 〜Boogie Fight 07 Black Sunday〜 | Nagoya, Japan | Decision (Majority) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2008-12-23 | Win | Norifumi Yamamura | NAGOYA KICK ～2008 FINAL Nagoya vs Muay Thai Drum Roll Please!!～ | Nagoya, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2008-10-19 | Win | Shin Takashiro | MAJKF BREAK THROUGH-7 ～CHAMPION CARNIVAL～ | Tokyo, Japan | KO | 3 | 0:43 | |
| 2008-08-29 | Win | Mutsuki Ebata | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2008-08 | Win | Yokdam | Thailand | KO | 1 | |||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11-20 | Loss | Shoei Hareyama | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- FINAL, Final | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Low Kick) | 3 | 0:23 | |
| For the 2010 K-1 Koshien Title. | ||||||||
| 2010-11-20 | Win | Keigo Ishida | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- FINAL, Semi Final | Tokyo, Japan | KO (Left middle kick) | 4 | ||
| 2010-11-20 | Win | Sho Ogawa | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- FINAL, Quarter Final | Tokyo, Japan | Ext.R Decision (Unanimous) | 4 | ||
| 2010-11-20 | Win | Koji Kashimura | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- FINAL, Second Round | Tokyo, Japan | KO | 1 | ||
| 2010-11-20 | Win | Yuki Kurihara | K-1 Koshien -KING OF UNDER 18- FINAL, First Round | Tokyo, Japan | TKO | 1 | ||
| 2009-10-26 | Loss | Shota Shimada | K-1 World MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament Final K-1 Koshien Tournament Quarter Final | Tokyo, Japan | Decision | 3 | 2:00 | |
| 2009-08-10 | Win | Hiroto Yamaguchi | K-1 Koshien 2009 KING OF UNDER 18 -FINAL16- | Tokyo, Japan | Decision | 3 | 2:00 | |
| 2009-07-04 | Win | Sho Ogawa | K-1 Koshien 2009 Chubu Region Selection Tournament, Final | Japan | Ext.R Decision | 2 | 2:00 | |
| 2009-07-04 | Win | Hiroto Iwasaki | K-1 Koshien 2009 Chubu Region Selection Tournament, Semi Finals | Japan | Decision | 1 | 2:00 | |
| 2009-07-04 | Win | Hideaki Ishida | K-1 Koshien 2009 Chubu Region Selection Tournament, Quarter Finals | Japan | Decision | 1 | 2:00 | |
| 2009-07-04 | Win | Shunsuke Okuno | K-1 Koshien 2009 Chubu Region Selection Tournament, First Round | Japan | KO (Knee to the Body) | 1 | ||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | ||||||||
See also
References
- Hiroki Akimoto profile at ONE Championship
- "Hiroki Akimoto | ONE Championship - Athletes". ONE Championship - The Home Of Martial Arts. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- "Hiroki Akimoto - Evolve MMA Singapore | Asia's #1 Mixed Martial Arts Gym". Evolve MMA Singapore. January 27, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Aittama, Zach. "Combat Press Kickboxing Rankings: December 2021". combatpress.com. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- "Martial Arts Runs Through Hiroki Akimoto's Veins | ONE Championship - Features". ONE Championship - The Home Of Martial Arts. January 24, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- "Here's What Hiroki Akimoto Has Planned For His Return To Japan - Evolve Daily". Evolve MMA Singapore. CNN. March 25, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- "Hiroki Akimoto | Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Altatis, Conan (July 12, 2019). "Evolve MMA's Hiroki Akimoto earns 2nd ONE Super Series win, decisions Kenny Tse at 'ONE: Masters of Destiny' in Malaysia". CONAN Daily. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Combat Press (October 16, 2020). "ONE Championship 'Reign of Dynasties II' Results: Akimoto Edges Out Chenglong". combatpress.com. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- "Saygid Arslanaliev rematches Timofey Nastyukhin at ONE: 'Winter Warriors'". Asian MMA. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- "ONE Championship 'Winter Warriors' Results: Stamp Wins Grand Prix, Eersel Defends". Combat Press. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- "【ONE】"空手天才ファイター"秋元皓貴、ついにバンタム級世界タイトルに挑戦！王者カピタンからベルト奪取なるか=3.26". news.yahoo.co.jp. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- "【ONE】秋元皓貴 キックボクシングバンタム級新王者に！ONEスーパーシリーズでは日本人初王者の快挙". sponichi.co.jp. March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- "ONE X Results: Lee Taps Stamp; Moraes, Nong-O and Superbon Defend; Akimoto Tops Capitan". Combat Press. March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- "GBR>試合結果>【Maキック】2008年度新人王トーナメント2回戦＆新人戦の結果".
- "【Ma日本キック】驚異の19歳王者誕生！秋元皓貴が16戦無敗7連続Koでベルト獲得".
- "【Ma日本キック】4大タイトルマッチで激闘！秋元が森井を破り驚異の17連勝飾る".
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
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