Yutaka Niida

Who is Yutaka Niida?

Yutaka Niida is a retired professional boxer in the minimumweight division and former WBA world minimumweight champion.

Niida belonged to the Yokohama Hikari Boxing Gym, his trainer was Mitsunori Seki and Hidefumi Oikawa. He first won the WBA minimumweight title at the Pacifico Yokohama on August 25, 2001, when he defeated Chana Porpaoin by unanimous decision. On October 22 only two months later, Niida vacated the title, with the intention of retiring due to back problems and lost interest in boxing.

Niida returned two years later and challenged Noel Arambulet for the title at the same venue, but Niida suffered his first loss, by split decision. Niida fought against Arambulet again at the Korakuen Hall on July 3, 2004; this time Niida won the title by unanimous decision in addition to Arambulet not making the weight. Niida has successfully defended the title seven times since he regained it, winning his last defense occurring against Jose Luis Varela at the Korakuen Hall on March 1, 2008 by knockout in the 6th round. However Mitsunori Seki died for a subarachnoid hemorrhage on June 6, 2008, his death gave Niida an intense shock.