RISE ace and atomweight champion Koyuki Miyazaki had one of the best years of her career, kicking off 2024 with a hard-fought, four-round victory over surging K-1 champion Miyuu Sugawara before delivering back-to-back second-round knockouts against Thai veteran Samson and WBC International mini-flyweight champion Tan Xuan Yun. Against the much taller Sugawara, the southpaw Miyazaki displayed razor-sharp focus, expertly managing distance to evade kicks and using her superior boxing and speed to punish every missed strike.
Undefeated since her 2020 loss to Ayaka, the Tokyo native has cemented herself as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound talents. Her résumé includes wins over K-1 Atomweight champion Miyuu Sugawara, RISE Mini-Flyweight champion Arina Kobayashi, Saya Ito, Mongkutpetch Khaolakmuaythai, and Shootboxing Atomweight champion MISAKI.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
JACKIE BUNTAN
Jackie Buntan secured a career-defining win this year, much like Phetjeeja Or. Meekun in 2023, by defeating former top P4P fighter Anissa Meksen via decision after five rounds to claim the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing title. In a cautious fight where both struggled to engage for extended periods, the fan-favorite American emerged victorious by landing the cleaner shots.
However, her inactivity this year kept her from earning Fighter of the Year honors. Still, with the division wide open and a new champion in place, the future looks promising for the Filipino-American phenom. Given ONE’s matchmaking tendencies, a rematch with Smilla Sundell—in either Muay Thai or kickboxing—could be on the horizon.
