“Krazy Bee” Miyuu Yamamoto Set to Make Professional Boxing Debut at age 51
Japanese combat sports veteran “Krazy Bee” Miyuu Yamamoto will step into the boxing ring for the first time as a professional at 51 years old when she faces Australia’s Michelle Mack on March 28 in Sydney. The bout will be contested at a catchweight of 51.0 kilograms over six rounds of two minutes each.
At age 51 Miyuu Yamamoto Jumps from RIZIN to the Ring for Pro Boxing Debut
Yamamoto announced the decision following her MMA retirement at RIZIN 45 on December 31, 2023, where she lost to undefeated super atomweight champion Seika Izawa via rear-naked choke in the second round. The 49-year-old at the time told officials she had continued training in boxing throughout her retirement from mixed martial arts.
In an official statement released through the event website, Yamamoto revealed the depth of her connection to boxing throughout her combat sports career. “Even when I was doing MMA, I found myself watching boxing constantly,” she said. The three-time freestyle wrestling world champion explained that boxing had become such a significant part of her life that she continued training after leaving MMA, believing she would eventually compete in the sport.
Yamamoto initially approached the opportunity with modest expectations. “At first, I thought I would have no regrets if I could do just one match,” she stated. However, her mindset shifted once the fight was confirmed. “Now that the match has been decided, that feeling has completely changed. All I have now is the resolve to win this match,” she said.
The decision represents another chapter in a career defined by late-blooming athletic achievements. Yamamoto began her MMA career at 41 years old in 2016 after an extensive wrestling background that included world championships in 1991, 1994, and 1995. She compiled a 6-8 professional MMA record entirely within RIZIN Fighting Federation, competing against top atomweight fighters including Ayaka Hamasaki, Seo Hee Ham, and Kanna Asakura.
Her father, Ikuei Yamamoto, represented Japan in wrestling at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Her late brother, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, became a Japanese MMA legend before his death in 2018. Her sister, Seiko Yamamoto, won four consecutive world wrestling championships from 1999 to 2002. Her eldest son, Arsen Yamamoto, also competes as a mixed martial artist in RIZIN.
While Yamamoto’s boxing debut at 51 is exceptional, it falls short of the official record for oldest female professional boxing debut. Patricia Trejo Ruiz of Mexico holds the Guinness World Record, having started her professional boxing career at 51 and fighting until age 54.
Yamamoto trains at Krazy Bee gym, the facility established by her late brother. She currently resides in Guam with her husband Kyle, who owns coffee shops on the island. Michelle Mack, the Australian opponent, recently announced her return to competition on social media, noting the fight would feature an “experienced pro MMA international opponent” at a catchweight.
Yamamoto expressed hope that her pursuit would inspire others. “If this challenge can give people the strength to take one more step forward in their own lives, there would be nothing that makes me happier,” she said.
