Saemi Hanagata


Satomi Tanaka, better known as Saemi Hanagata, is a Japanese professional boxer. She has held the IBF female atomweight title since 2018 and challenged once for the WBC female atomweight title in 2012. As of May 2020, she is ranked as the world's second best active female atomweight by BoxRec.

Professional career

Hanagata made her professional debut on 12 August 2008, losing by unanimous decision over four rounds against Yu Koshiishi at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. All three judges scored the bout 39–38.
After compiling a record of 7–2–1, she challenged WBC female atomweight champion, Momo Koseki, on 17 December 2012 at the Korakuen Hall. Hanagata suffered the third defeat of her career, losing by UD over ten rounds with two judges scoring the bout 96–94 and the third scoring it 98–92.
Three fights later she faced Yuko Kuroki, who she had defeated six months earlier, for the vacant OPBF female minimumweight title on 3 December 2013 at the Korakuen Hall. The bout ended in a split draw over eight rounds, with one judge scoring it 77–76 in favour of Hanagata, another scoring it 77–76 to Kuroki while the third scored it even at 77–77. She captured the vacant OPBF title in her second attempt four months later on 11 March 2014, defeating Satomi Nishimura via fifth-round technical knockout at the Korakuen Hall.
She lost the title by majority decision in her first defence against Mika Oda in September, before challenging IBF female junior-flyweight champion, Naoko Shibata, on 19 February 2015 at the Korakuen Hall. Hanagata lost by MD in her first attempt at a world title, with two judges scoring the bout 96–95 and 96–94 in favour of Shibata while the third scored it even at 95–95.
After bouncing back from defeat with two wins, one by stoppage, she faced Mika Oda in a rematch for the OPBF title on 1 March 2016 at the Korakuen Hall. Hanagata gained revenge by defeating Oda via fifth-round TKO.
After five more fights–two wins, two draws and a loss–she faced Yuko Kuroki for a third time, with the vacant IBF female atomweight title on the line, on 29 September 2018 at the Korakuen Hall. Hanagata defeated Kuroki via split decision over ten rounds to capture her first world title. Two judges scored the bout 96–94 in favour of Hanagata while the third scored it 96–95 to Kuroki.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
27Win16–7–4 Nao IkeyamaSD1012 Sep 2019Tokyo, Japan.png" />
26Win15–7–4 Yuko KurokiSD1029 Sep 2018Won vacant IBF female atomweight title
25Win14–7–4 Erika HanawaUD88 Mar 2018Retained OPBF female minimumweight title
24Loss13–7–4 Shione OgataMD830 Sep 2017KBS Hall, Kyoto, Japan.png" />
23Draw13–6–4 Nao IkeyamaSD1011 Jul 2017
22Win13–6–3 Tiradee TipdeeTKO2, 1:0815 Mar 2017
21Draw12–6–3 Nao IkeyamaSD1013 Jun 2016
20Win12–6–2 Mika OdaTKO5, 1:301 Mar 2016Won OPBF female minimumweight title
19Win11–6–2 Chie HiganoTKO6, 0:3727 Dec 2015Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan.png" />
18Win10–6–2 Aiko YamagishiUD66 Sep 2015Takaoka, Japan.png" />
17Loss9–6–2 Naoko ShibataMD1019 Feb 2015For IBF female junior-flyweight title
16Loss9–5–2 Mika OdaMD824 Sep 2014Lost OPBF female minimumweight title
15Win9–4–2 Satomi NishimuraTKO5, 1:2311 Mar 2014Won vacant OPBF female minimumweight title
14Draw8–4–2 Yuko KurokiSD83 Dec 2013For OPBF female minimumweight title
13Win8–4–1 Yuko KurokiUD824 Jun 2013
12Loss7–4–1 Kumiko Seesar IkeharaUD63 Mar 2013
11Loss7–3–1 Momo KosekiUD1017 Dec 2012For WBC female atomweight title
10Draw7–2–1 Masae Akitaya81 Jul 2012Toyonaka, Japan.png" />
9Win7–2 Li Yun TingKO6, 1:4322 Apr 2012Nakaniikawa District, Japan.png" />
8Win6–2 Chiho UedaMD426 Apr 2011
7Loss5–2 Jujeath NagaowaUD611 Aug 2011
6Win5–1 Yuri Kobayashi414 Apr 2010Prefectural Gymnasium, Wakayama, Japan.png" />
5Win4–1 Natsume Yokozeki2, 0:4314 Dec 2009
4Win3–1 Chikako Aikawa413 Aug 2009
3Win2–1 Chikako Aikawa48 Jun 2009
2Win1–1 Riyako Goshi3, 1:297 Apr 2009
1Loss0–1 Yu Koshiishi412 Aug 2008