# Masataka Taniguchi

Masataka Taniguchi (谷口将隆; born 19 January 1994) is a Japanese professional boxer who held the WBO mini-flyweight title from 2021 to 2023.

## Professional career
### Early career
#### Career beginnings

Taniguchi made his professional debut against Thawi Chaisat on 3 April 2016, and won the fight by a first-round knockout. He amassed an 8-1 record over the next 15 months, achieving six of those victories by stoppage.
Taniguchi challenged the reigning OPBF mini-flyweight titlist Tsubasa Koura on 11 November 2017. He lost the fight by majority decision. Two judges scored the fight for Koura as 115-114 and 115-113, while the third judge scored it as a 114-114 draw.
Following his failed OPBF title bid, Taniguchi faced Patiphan Prajuabsook on 31 December 2017. He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout. Taniguchi was next scheduled to face Reymark Taday on 8 February 2018, and won the fight by a sixth-round technical decision. Taniguchi fought Joel Lino for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific mini-flyweight title on 13 November 2018. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Two judges scored eleven of the twelve rounds for Taniguchi, while the third judge scored it 116-112 for him.
These three victories earned Taniguchi the change to challenge the reigning WBO mini-flyweight champion Vic Saludar, in the latter's first title defense, on 26 February 2019. Saludar won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 117-111 in his favor, while the third judge awarded him a 118-110 scorecard.
Taniguchi was scheduled to face the undefeated prospect Kai Ishizawa on 21 September 2019. He won the eight-round bout by unanimous decision, with scores of 77-74, 77-74 and 78-74.

#### Japanese mini-flyweight champion

Taniguchi was scheduled to fight Hizuki Saso for the vacant Japanese mini-flyweight title on 3 December 2020. He won the fight by a tenth-round technical knockout, and was awarded all nine prior rounds by two of the three judges, while the third scored eight of the nine rounds for Taniguchi. Taniguchi made his first Japanese mini-flyweight title defense against Tatsuro Nakashima on 7 June 2021. He dominated the bout, winning all four rounds prior to the fifth-round technical knockout of Nakashima.

### WBO mini-flyweight champion
#### Taniguchi vs. Méndez

On 7 October 2021, the WBO ordered Wilfredo Méndez to make his third mini-flyweight title defense against the mandatory challenger Masataka Taniguchi. On 27 October 2021, a successful purse bid was held, which had a minimum bid of $40,000. The bout would take place on 14 December 2021, at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. Taniguchi won the fight by an eleventh-round technical knockout. He first knocked Méndez down with a left straight in the second round, which put him in an early point lead, which was made greater after Méndez was deducted a point in the sixth round for excessive holding. Taniguchi upped his output in the eleventh round, forcing referee Nobuto Ikehara to stop the fight with a flurry of punches to which the cornered Méndez did not respond.

#### Taniguchi vs. Ishizawa

Taniguchi was booked to make his first WBO mini-flyweight title defense against Kai Ishizawa on 22 April 2022, in the main event of PBX Phoenix Battle 87, which was broadcast as a pay per view by Abema TV. The bout was a rematch of their 21 September 2019 meeting, which Taniguchi won by unanimous decision. It took place at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Although Taniguchi weighed in at 47.6 kg, 0.2 below the championship limit, Ishizawa came in 2.5 kg above the limit. Ishizawa failed to make weight in his second attempt as well, as he weighed in at 49.9 kg. Ishizawa was allowed to compete after making 49.9 kg on the day of the fight, although he was ineligible to win the title. Taniguchi retained the belt by an eleventh-round technical knockout, forcing a referee stoppage with a flurry of punches at the 2:29 minute mark of the penultimate round. He was leading on the scorecards at the time of the stoppage, with all three judges having scored the fight 99–91 in his favor.

#### Taniguchi vs. Jerusalem

Taniguchi is scheduled to make his second WBO championship defense against the one-time WBC mini-flyweight title challenger Melvin Jerusalem. The bout was scheduled as the main event of "3150 FIGHT vol.4" and took place at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan on 6 January 2023. It was broadcast by Abema TV. Taniguchi lost the fight by a second-round technical knockout. He was dropped with a one-two combination near the beginning of the round and remained unsteady on his feet despite beating the ten-count, which prompted referee Roberto Ramirez Jr. to wave the bout off.

### Light flyweight
#### Taniguchi vs. Horikawa

Taniguchi made his light flyweight debut against the former OPBF and Japanese light flyweight champion Kenichi Horikawa on 5 August 2023, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan in the main event of a U-Next broadcast show. He won the fight by majority decision, with two scorecards of 96–94 in his favor and one even 95–95 scorecard. Taniguchi revealed that he had suffered a broken jaw in the fifth round during a post-fight interview. He successfully underwent surgery on 9 August. Taniguchi fully recovered by the end of February 2024, when he was permitted by his physician to once again train and spar at full intensity.

#### Taniguchi vs. Abcede

On 17 April 2024, Taniguchi's representatives Treasure Boxing Promotion held a press conference at the Watanabe Gym in Shinagawa to announce he would face Jaysever Abcede on 11 May 2024. The contest will take place at the Paradise City Grand Ballroom in Incheon, South Korea, as an undercard fight for the flyweight bout between Hiroto Kyoguchi and Vince Paras.

## Professional boxing record

| 23 fights | 19 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 1 |
| By decision | 6 | 3 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 23 | Win | 19–4 | Paipharob Kokietgym | KO | 6 (8), 1:58 | 13 Oct 2024 | Yokohama Budokan, Yokohama, Japan | |
| 22 | Win | 18–4 | Jaysever Abcede | TKO | 5 (8), 1:14 | 11 May 2024 | PARADISE CITY, Incheon, South Korea | |
| 21 | Win | 17–4 | Kenichi Horikawa | MD | 10 | 5 Aug 2023 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 20 | Loss | 16–4 | Melvin Jerusalem | TKO | 2 (12) 1:04 | 6 Jan 2023 | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan | Lost WBO mini-flyweight title |
| 19 | Win | 16–3 | Kai Ishizawa | TKO | 11 (12), 2:29 | 22 Apr 2022 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBO mini-flyweight title |
| 18 | Win | 15–3 | Wilfredo Méndez | TKO | 11 (12), 1:08 | 14 Dec 2021 | Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | Won WBO mini-flyweight title |
| 17 | Win | 14–3 | Tatsuro Nakashima | TKO | 5 (10), 1:35 | 7 Jun 2021 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained Japanese mini-flyweight title |
| 16 | Win | 13–3 | Hizuki Saso | TKO | 10 (10), 0:37 | 3 Dec 2020 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant Japanese mini-flyweight title |
| 15 | Win | 12–3 | Kai Ishizawa | UD | 8 | 21 Sep 2019 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 14 | Loss | 11–3 | Vic Saludar | UD | 12 | 26 Feb 2019 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | For WBO mini-flyweight title |
| 13 | Win | 11–2 | Joel Lino | UD | 12 | 13 Nov 2018 | Ram 100 Thai Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific mini-flyweight title |
| 12 | Win | 10–2 | Reymark Taday | TD | 6 (8), 2:16 | 9 Feb 2018 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 11 | Win | 9–2 | Patiphan Prajuabsook | TKO | 3 (8), 1:56 | 31 Dec 2017 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 10 | Loss | 8–2 | Tsubasa Koura | MD | 12 | 11 Nov 2017 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | For OPBF mini-flyweight title |
| 9 | Win | 8–1 | Narathip Sungsut | TKO | 1 (8), 2:05 | 30 Jul 2017 | Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Japan | |
| 8 | Win | 7–1 | Benjie Bartolome | RTD | 1 (6), 3:00 | 27 Jun 2017 | Makati Cinema Square Boxing Arena, Makati, Philippines | |
| 7 | Loss | 6–1 | Reiya Konishi | MD | 10 | 9 Apr 2017 | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan | For vacant Japanese mini-flyweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Vincent Bautista | UD | 6 | 31 Dec 2016 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Dexter Alimento | SD | 8 | 13 Oct 2016 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Chaowalit Choedram | TKO | 4 (8), 1:32 | 7 Aug 2016 | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Joey Bactul | KO | 2 (8), 1:41 | 19 Jun 2016 | Maasim Municipal Gymnasium, Maasim, Philippines | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Nonthawat Phengkrajang | TKO | 1 (6), 1:30 | 16 May 2016 | Meenayothin Camp, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Thawi Chaisat | KO | 1 (6), 1:58 | 3 Apr 2016 | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan | |