Last month, Miyo Yoshida declared that she is a promotional free agent after more than three years with DiBella Entertainment. Now Yoshida has her next bout scheduled.
The former two-division world titleholder announced that she will compete on April 25 at Haverhill High School’s gymnasium in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Although no opponent has been named, Yoshida said the match will be at a contractual weight limit of 120lbs and scheduled for eight rounds.
Yoshida initially won the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title in 2019 and made one successful defense before losing a technical decision to Tomoko Okuda in December 2020. Yoshida regained the title with a narrow split decision over Okuda in their June 2021 rematch but then lost a split decision to Tamao Ozawa in May 2022.
After fighting her entire professional career to date in her native Japan, Yoshida made her U.S. debut in New York City in April 2023, taking a majority decision over the 6-6-2 Indeya Rodriguez. The next bout didn’t go as well. Yoshida moved up to 118lbs and lost a unanimous decision to Shurretta Metcalf in November 2023.
But one month later, Yoshida outpointed Ebanie Bridges to win the IBF bantamweight belt. Alas, her third title reign ended with its first defense in an October 2024 rematch with Metcalf, once again via unanimous decision. Yoshida last fought in February 2025, outpointing the 5-5 Beata Dudek.
She is now 18-5 (0 KOs) under the traditional Queensberry Rules and is ranked No. 1 at bantamweight by the IBF and No. 4 by the WBC. Yoshida wants to challenge Cherneka Johnson for all four major world titles at 118lbs.
Yoshida also had two appearances in the Team Combat League (now known as the Team Boxing League) in 2024, losing both of her one-round bouts.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
