Masanor Rikiishi

Masanori Rikiishi (力石政法) is a Japanese professional boxer born on June 10, 1994, in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Standing at 5 feet 9.5 inches Raised in a modest family in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Rikiishi discovered boxing during his teenage years. Rikiishi began his amateur boxing career around the age of 16, participating in national competitions by 2010. He achieved significant milestones, including winning the national amateur boxing championship in 2012 and again in 2014. Over his amateur tenure, he compiled an impressive record of 25 wins (15 by knockout) and 5 losses.

Rikiishi turned professional in July 2017, making his debut with a six-round decision victory over Sa Ya Lee. He followed that win with another before suffering a second-round stoppage loss to veteran Kosuke Saka in his third fight.

In May 2022, he captured the vacant OPBF super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Takuya Watanabe. He followed up in January 2023 with a statement-making fifth-round knockout of Yoshimitsu Kimura to claim the WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight title. Rikiishi continued to impress in June 2023, delivering a highlight-reel third-round knockout against Ricardo Nunez. A major career milestone came in March 2024 when he challenged Michael Magnesi for the WBC Silver super featherweight title. In April 2024, he returned to action with a dominant performance against experienced Filipino boxer Arnel Baconaje, winning by fourth-round TKO.

Rikiishi’s journey mirrors that of Naoya Inoue, Japan’s boxing icon, whose dramatic comeback victory over Ramon Cardenas on May 4, 2025, captured the imagination of fans across Asia. While some may look to global stars like Ryan Garcia or Canelo Alvarez, in moments when boxing needs a hero, Japan produces fighters like Inoue—and Rikiishi follows in that lineage, standing tall, fighting with bravery, and carrying himself with quiet honor. Rikiishi remains grounded. He continues to live in Mie Prefecture, maintaining strong ties to his local community. He trains with a small, dedicated team and spends time mentoring young fighters in his hometown, offering guidance rooted in his own journey.

Rikiishi uses his lead right jab to control distance and set up powerful left-hand shots. One of his signature combinations is a left uppercut followed by a right hook—a sequence that has produced devastating results, including his knockout victory over Arnel Baconaje. He consistently targets the body, aiming to wear down his opponents over time, setting up openings for clean, decisive finishes.

He fights from a balanced stance, taking calculated, deliberate steps to maintain range while subtly cutting off his opponent’s movement. When Rikiishi crouches slightly and throws from mid-range, his long limbs act as natural levers. Even over short distances, his arms generate torque from his hips and waist, allowing him to land compact hooks that carry the force of full-extension punches.

Unlike many tall fighters who rely on long-range straight shots, Rikiishi redefines the use of height. He creates tight angles and uses rotational power to snap short punches from his core. His hooks and uppercuts come with surprising power, made possible by his grounded stance and efficient use of momentum. His punches aren’t exaggerated—they’re coiled, and delivered with a surgeon’s precision.

Every strike he throws carries the essence of budo - Japan’s martial philosophy centered on balance, control, and purpose. His center of gravity remains anchored, allowing his movements to flow like a sword being drawn with perfect timing. Rather than relying on brute strength or flashy movement, Rikiishi’s attacks are rooted in discipline and internal power. Even when his punches aren’t fully extended, they’re rotationally sound - fired from the hips and anchored through his feet - making them both sudden and deeply damaging.