# Takahiro Ao

Takahiro Ao (粟生 隆寛, Takahiro Aō, born 6 April 1984) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 2003 to 2018. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC featherweight title in 2009 and the WBC super-featherweight title from 2010 to 2012.

## Professional career

Ao turned professional in September 2003 at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo. In his debut Ao defeated fellow Japanese boxer Hiroshi Kashihara with a second round knockout.
Ao is managed by the Teiken Boxing Gym in Tokyo, and trains under Sendai Tanaka's guidance. He has often attended Marco Antonio Barrera's training camp since 2003, because he was appreciated for his speed and heavy fists, and served as Barrera's chief sparring partner in August 2007.
After thirteen unbeaten fights, Ao beat Koji Umetsu for the Japanese featherweight title in March 2007.
Ao lost via split decision to champion Óscar Larios on 16 October 2008. Despite flooring Larios in the 4th round, Ao managed to lose a decision in the close and contested bout.
Fortunate for him, Ao got another chance at Larios' title on 12 March 2009. There, he applied more offensive tactics which resulted Larios dropping in the 12th round. Ao won the match by unanimous decision. On his first defense of the title held on July 14 that same year, Ao lost to Elio Rojas by unanimous decision.

## Professional boxing record

| 33 fights | 28 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 12 | 0 |
| By decision | 16 | 3 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 33 | Win | 28-3-1 (1) | Gamaliel Diaz | UD | 8 | 1 Mar 2018 | Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 32 | NC | 27-3-1 (1) | Raymundo Beltran | NC | 12 | 1 May 2015 | The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, US | For vacant WBO lightweight title |
| 31 | Win | 27-3-1 | Juan Carlos Salgado | UD | 10 | 22 Oct 2014 | Yoyogi#2 Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 30 | Win | 26-3-1 | Marco Antonio López | UD | 10 | 23 Apr 2014 | Osaka-Jo Hall, Osaka, Japan | |
| 29 | Win | 25-3-1 | Edgar Alejandro Lomeli | KO | 1 (10), 3:03 | 10 Nov 2013 | Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 28 | Win | 24-3-1 | Hardy Paredes | KO | 2 (10), 2:51 | 13 Jul 2013 | Hollywood Park Casino, Inglewood, California, US | |
| 27 | Loss | 23-3-1 | Gamaliel Díaz | UD | 12 | 27 Oct 2012 | Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan | Lost WBC super-featherweight title |
| 26 | Win | 23–2–1 | Terdsak Kokietgym | UD | 12 | 6 Apr 2012 | Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBC super-featherweight title |
| 25 | Win | 22–2–1 | Devis Boschiero | SD | 12 | 6 Nov 2011 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBC super-featherweight title |
| 24 | Win | 21–2–1 | Humberto Gutiérrez | KO | 4 (12), 1:06 | 8 Apr 2011 | World Memorial Hall, Kobe, Japan | Retained WBC super-featherweight title |
| 23 | Win | 20–2–1 | Vitali Tajbert | UD | 12 | 26 Nov 2010 | Nippon Gaishi Hall, Nagoya, Japan | Won WBC super-featherweight title |
| 22 | Win | 19–2–1 | Whyber García | TKO | 8 (10), 1:48 | 30 Apr 2010 | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 21 | Win | 18–2–1 | Feider Viloria | UD | 10 | 18 Dec 2009 | World Memorial Hall, Kobe, Japan | |
| 20 | Loss | 17–2–1 | Elio Rojas | UD | 12 | 14 Jul 2009 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Lost WBC featherweight title |
| 19 | Win | 17–1–1 | Óscar Larios | UD | 12 | 12 Mar 2009 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won WBC featherweight title |
| 18 | Loss | 16–1–1 | Óscar Larios | SD | 12 | 16 Oct 2008 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | For WBC featherweight title |
| 17 | Draw | 16–0–1 | Hiroyuki Enoki | UD | 12 | 5 Apr 2008 | JCB Hall, Tokyo, Japan | For Japanese and OBPF featherweight titles |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Noriyuki Ueno | UD | 10 | 3 Nov 2007 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained Japanese featherweight title |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Keisuke Akiba | UD | 10 | 7 Jul 2007 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained Japanese featherweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Koji Umetsu | UD | 10 | 3 Mar 2007 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won Japanese featherweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Gabriel Pérez | TKO | 6 (6), 1:27 | 13 Nov 2006 | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Francisco Dianzo | UD | 10 | 3 Jun 2006 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Oswaldo Juarez | KO | 2 (6), 2:14 | 25 Mar 2006 | World Memorial Hall, Kobe, Japan | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Richard Carrillo | UD | 10 | 7 Jan 2006 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Jae-Choon Moon | TKO | 1 (6), 2:54 | 25 Sep 2005 | Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Yoshinori Miyata | UD | 10 | 2 Jul 2005 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Mario Rodríguez | UD | 6 | 16 April 2005 | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Sang-Chan Na | KO | 1 (10), 3:07 | 5 Feb 2005 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Yosuke Sato | UD | 8 | 2 Oct 2004 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Hisami Kitahara | TKO | 5 (8), 2:22 | 1 May 2004 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Nilyon Nuñez | KO | 3 (6), 1:23 | 31 Jan 2004 | Poliedro de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Takashi Saryo | KO | 1 (6), 2:26 | 6 Dec 2003 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Hiroshi Kashihara | TKO | 2 (6), 0:49 | 6 Sep 2003 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |