Japanese “Mike Tyson” Yuki Yoza reflects on being “too gentle” in early karate days
Former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza wasn’t always the destructive force he is today. It was a trait he didn’t seem to have in his early days. He wasn’t one to watch among his peers. But by hook or by crook, Yoza’s killer instinct eventually came alive.
The 27-year-old makes his ONE Championship debut this Friday, May 23, at ONE Friday Fights 109. There, he takes on unbeaten Russian star Elbrus Osmanov in bantamweight kickboxing inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.
Yoza’s start in combat sports began in the Japanese art of Kyokushin karate. Many of the greatest martial artists in the world got their start in the discipline. Among them include Ewerton Teixeira, Sam Greco, MMA icon Georges St-Pierre, and many others.
Combat sports didn’t come naturally to Yoza, though. Some children have a natural tenacity about them. It’s clear to see their potential from the moment they step on the mats.
That couldn’t be said for Yoza. Instead of showing that finishing instinct, Yoza was looked at as a soft kid. He didn’t want to hurt his training partners, or opponents.
It’s a stark contrast to the man deemed as the next Mike Tyson. Today, he’s amassed a 19-2 record in the sport, with a 10-fight winning streak to boot.
“I began karate at age six. This might sound funny coming from me, but I was actually too gentle back then, which worried my mother,” he said.
“She took me to a karate dojo, and I said I wanted to do it. My younger brother also practices karate.”
Yuki Yoza highlights his most pivotal moment in karate
Yuki Yoza was never the biggest nor the strongest in his class. But he kept his nose to the grindstone day in and day out. And he believes that allowed him to become a huge success.
A student of Kyokushin karate, Yoza took his time getting to grips with the art. It took countless hours on the mats for his talents to begin to develop. But he was confident it wouldn’t be for nothing.
So he stuck with the process. And from the age of 15, the accomplishments began to add up. Between 2012 and 2018, he won tournaments from high school level and All-Japan to the World Weight Championships. He even won medals in other esteemed competitions along the way to build a reputation as a solid prospect.
Since then, Yoza has never rested on his laurels. And he believes his body of work across 21 years has allowed him to go from strength to strength.
“In the beginning of my karate journey, I was a kid who couldn’t win at all and couldn’t produce results. Then that same person went on to become a world champion,” Yoza said.
“The moment I won that championship was the happiest moment of my karate career.”
