Reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bantamweight World Champion Miyo Yoshida (17-4, 0 KOs) has signed with New York-based lawyer Keith Sullivan.
Yoshida, 35, is a three-time, two-division world champion having captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Flyweight crowns twice in 2019 and 2021. A native of Japan, she moved to Manhattan last year, trains at the famed Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, and is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.
She is one of 23 female world champions from Japan, only the sixth to capture world titles in two or more divisions.
“Keith Sullivan is an excellent lawyer with an undisputed reputation,” Yoshida said. “I believe that he will be able to advance my career forward by becoming my manager. He was highly recommended, and I am happy he is part of Team Miyo. ”It will also broaden the scope of my career.”
“Miyo is a great story on many levels, both in and out of the ring,” Sullivan commented. “She was a single mom in a foreign country coming off a took loss, took that fight on two weeks’ notice and dominated her way to another World title,” Sullivan commented. “She has a lot of fight still in her. It’s an honor to work with someone as professional and respectful as Miyo.”
Last December, Yoshida put on a boxing clinic in San Francisco, replacing injured Avril Mathie on less than two weeks’ notice to defeat defending IBF bantamweight title-holder Ebanie Bridges (9-1) by way of a dominant 10-round unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 97-93).
“Without a doubt,” Yoshida talked about her title fight against Bridges, “this match was my greatest career achievement. I want to get stronger than I am now and continue to be a great champion.”
A single mother of daughter her, Mina, Miyo is known as the “Fighting Single Mother” in Japan, where she is a revered role model back, and for that reason as well as her success in the ring, Yoshida received the 2023 Most Inspirational Female Fighter award from The Ring magazine.
“Many senior Japanese women have paved the way for me without giving up,” Miyo added. I would like to follow in their footsteps and pave the way for my juniors. Women’s boxing in the United States is by far the largest market. In Japan, you get used to fighting against Japanese styles. In the U.S. there are so many various fighting styles. It’s always interesting. The support and scale of women’s boxing is superior in the U.S. than in Japan.”
Ten years ago, Yoshida moved from Kagoshima, Japan, to Hawaii to learn kickboxing because she wanted to change her life. She kickboxed and learned MMA before turning to boxing at the age of 26. After two years out of boxing to take care of her baby, she made her professional debut at the age of 28. Miyo started boxing because as a kickboxer, she often sparred boxers and enjoyed the challenge of the sport.”
Sullivan also manages Brooklyn heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor (2-0, 2 KOs), standout amateur Nisa Rodriguez, and the reigning WBA Continental Champion from Limerick, Ireland, Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs).