Miyo Yoshida

Bio

Right then — Miyo Yoshida is one of the most underrated technicians in women's boxing. Thirty-eight years old, Kagoshima, Japan, 19-5 with one knockout, and a CV that includes the IBF bantamweight title and two reigns as WBO junior bantamweight champion. She has been around the elite of women's boxing for the best part of a decade.

Make no mistake — the five losses on the record are misleading. Every one of them came against a world-class opponent and every one of them was competitive. Yoshida lost a split decision to Shurretta Metcalf in 2024 that many had her winning. She has never been blown out and she has never been stopped. That is the mark of a real fighter.

Her style is classic Japanese fundamentals — tight guard, sharp counters, lateral movement that lets her box from angles. She does not have a big punch and she rarely stops anyone, but she does not gas, she does not panic, and she makes everyone she fights work for it. Her first defence date against new WBC super bantamweight champion Skye Nicolson will be the biggest fight of her career — and Skye is going to have to box properly to beat her.