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Add FightsATW on GoogleWomen’s boxing has grown in the last five years and has been given bigger platforms than in years past. With aging stars nearing retirement, such as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, there is room for new, younger stars to emerge. One of those fighters is 30-year-old undefeated women’s WBO and Ring Magazine super flyweight champion Mizuki Hiruta (10-0, 2 KOs).
Hiruta hit the FightsATW radar in April 2024 while attending a media conference in L.A. It was there that it was first noticed that, although she was a bit shy around the members of the press she had just met, she had the charisma to accompany the skills to become a star in women’s boxing. After securing an interview with her, I found Hiruta’s story and her rise to world champion quite interesting.
She would later sign a promotional deal with Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and make her U.S. debut in January 2025. With Loeffler hosting one show a month on UFC Fight Pass, there was an opportunity for Hiruta to stay busy, and she did. Hiruta would fight four times and earn the Ring Magazine title late in the year. At the start of 2026, Hiruta would be named the 2025 Ring Magazine Female Fighter of the Year and would accept the award on January 30.
Now that Hiruta is a few months removed from the Gala, does it still feel surreal? “It’s still too good to be true,” Hiruta told FightsATW. “But I stopped thinking that I am not that good. I try to think that I want to be that good. I’ve just appreciated it, and I’ve been trying to live up to the recognition. The honor motivates and pushes me to be a better boxer.” Regarding the event itself, Hiruta told FightsATW that although it was a short trip, the event was “unreal to be a part of it,” and that she just tried to “absorb the good vibe” from it all.
Shortly after the Gala in NYC, Loeffler went all in with Zuffa Boxing, and it appeared from the outside that he wouldn’t be hosting 360 Promotion shows for the time being. Many of his male fighters, such as Callum Walsh and Serhii Bohachuk, moved to Zuffa Boxing, while his female fighters, such as Iyana Verduzco, signed with MVP. Where does that leave Hiruta?
“I appreciate what Tom did for me last year,” she said. “Tom spoke to Manny (Robles) and said that Zuffa has a strong interest in me, which I am really grateful for. Nothing is for sure yet, but I trust Manny 100 percent as my trainer and manager. He will lead me to the best path for my career.”
Speaking of her trainer and manager, Robles, Hiruta has now been with him for a few years, and with each fight, they seem to be getting more in sync. It’s always interesting to hear from the fighter how the relationship between fighter and trainer has evolved over the years, so when Hiruta was asked about it, she said she feels good about it and respects his strict style.
“When I first met Manny three years ago, I already felt a good chemistry with him, and my instinct was right,” said Hiruta. “Manny himself is the hardest worker, and his professionalism motivates me. He shows me that you have to earn it; there is no shortcut. He is strict, but at the same time he keeps telling me to ‘have fun’ and ‘keep smiling’ during hard training, which I believe is very important. I admire him totally as a trainer and simply as a man.”
Now, Hiruta is fighting in Giza, Egypt, on a card headlined by Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven, which streams live worldwide on DAZN. Her initial reaction to being added to the card was the Spanish phrase “¿Qué pasa…?” meaning “What’s up?” It’s often used in response to a surprise. The reaction came two days before she was heading to Japan for training camp to fulfill a mandatory on May 12. Obviously, she was even more excited about the new opportunity. “I thought to myself how lucky I am to have that opportunity. I had no idea where Egypt is, and I didn’t know it was in Africa.”
Hiruta now knows where Egypt is, as she is there, getting ready for her title defense against Mai Solomon (10-1, 6 KOs). Hiruta is matched tough, but she isn’t going to be caught by surprise, as she is fully aware of what Solomon has to offer. “She has a lot of KOs,” said Hiruta. “I saw she is aggressive and punched hard in previous fights. She is a fighter who aims for the knockout, so I have to be careful not to fight in her range.”
If you’ve never seen Hiruta fight, her style is aggressive and all action, but for this one, she may have to box more and avoid the traps of the hard-hitting Solomon. If you’ve never seen Hiruta fight, she sums up what you should expect on Saturday. “It will be my debut on DAZN. You will see my million-dollar smile! I want to make people be wowed by my fight style and how I look.”
When the DAZN telecast kicks off on Saturday, one of the first fights you will see is Hiruta vs. Solomon, and I would recommend not missing it, as it looks like it will not disappoint on paper. Hiruta has the stage; now she has to deliver on fight night and prove she is ready to be one of women’s boxing’s next stars.
The quotes from Mizuki Hiruta were translated by Yuriko Miyata.
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