Boxing is one of the most demanding sports for the athletes who practice it, where damage to various parts of the body is felt by the amount of high-impact blows over the years. However, on this occasion it is not a long-term effect, but the damage was immediate after the KO.
It is Japanese boxer Jin Sasaki who does not remember the night he tried to make history as the first Japanese boxer to win a world welterweight title. On June 15, 2025, Sasaki, with credentials of 15 wins, 10 by KO, and two losses, was knocked out by American contender Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 19 KOs), and reportedly does not remember the fight and even does not remember what he did in a period of six weeks prior.
The fight that sent Sasaki to the canvas and caused temporary amnesia
In last Sunday’s fight, Jin Sasaki had some initial success in the early rounds. However, from the third round onwards, the fight became increasingly brutal, where Norman Jr’s combination of punches were constant and with a high degree of power. The fourth round was no different, where even the referee was about to stop the fight, but the bell stopped the American’s massacre.
In the fifth and final round, the American maintained his offensive power which culminated in a devastating KO that drastically ended Sasaki’s title aspirations. Norman’s left hook was brutal, but the real culprit could be the force with which Sasaki’s head hit the canvas. A post-fight CT scan showed no injury, suggesting that the talented and tough fighter is making a full recovery.
Jin Sasaki’s post-fight medical care
The president of the gym where the fight took place issued the following statement about Sasaki’s condition following his KO loss at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan: “Sasaki Tsutomu was taken to hospital after the fight and had a CT scan. He did not have any injuries, such as bleeding. However, he hit the back of his neck hard and is losing his memory. He has no visible physical injuries, but we will be keeping an eye on him and he will return to hospital tomorrow for another check-up.”
The boxing community and Jin Sasaki’s fans will be keeping a close eye on the health of their idol. It was undoubtedly a hard blow he received from Briana Norman Jr, but his fall to the canvas was the cause of this memory loss.
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