Taio Asahisa (born 16 January 1998) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently fighting in the lightweight division of K-1, where he is the former lightweight champion.
As of May 2021, he was the #1 ranked Super Bantamweight in the world according to Combat Press.
Kickboxing career
Super Bantamweight career
Asahisa was schooled in Asahisa karate by his father, who had developed the style, and participated in numerous amateur karate and kickboxing competitions from a young age. He was most notably eliminated from the All Japan Junior Kick competitions two years in a row by Tenshin Nasukawa, and by Ren Hiramoto in the first round of the 2014 K-1 Koshien tournament.
Asahisa made his professional debut on September 21, 2014, at the age of 16, being scheduled to fight Masachika Morimoto in the quarterfinals of the 2014 J-Fight Next Generation Cup. He beat Morimoto by unanimous decision, winning the fight by 20-18 on two of the three judges scorecards. Advancing to the semifinals, Asahisa faced Takaya Ogura. He managed to knock Ogura down late in the first round, and won by technical knockout nine seconds into the second round. Asahisa fought the WPMF Japan Bantamweight champion Teru in the finals and won the fight by unanimous decision. Aside from winning the tournament title, Asahisa was awarded ¥300,000 in prize money.
Asahisa was scheduled to make his K-1 debut against Namito Izawa at Krush 49. The fight was ruled as a draw, after the first three rounds of the bout, and went into an extra extension round. Izawa won the extra round of all three of the judges scorecards. Asahisa was scheduled to make his second promotional appearance against Chikara Iwao at Krush 54. He achieved his first win with the promotion by majority decision. Asahisa lost his next fight against Keisuke Ishida by unanimous decision, with Ishida clearly winning two of the three rounds of the bout.
Asahisa moved away from K-1 for his next two fights. He would win a decision against Chibita at Pound for Pound vol.5 and lose a decision against Kim Sang-Jae at MAX FC. He returned to K-1 to face Haruma Saikyo at K-1 World GP 2016 -65kg World Tournament. Saikyo was the more dominant party in the first round, while Asahisa was more successful in pressuring Saikyo in the second and third round. Saikyo won the fight by majority decision, with two of the judges awarding him a 30-29 scorecard.
Super Featherweight career
First Krush Super Featherweight tournament
For his next fight, Asahisa moved up from Krush's super bantamweight (55kg) category up to super featherweight (60kg), having amassed a 5-4 record at 55kg. He was scheduled to fight Fumiya Osawa at Krush 70. Asahsisa won the closely contested fight by majority decision.
Following his successful divisional debut, Asahisa took part in the Krush Super Featherweight tournament. He was scheduled to face Sano Tenma at Krush 73, in the tournament quarterfinals. Asahisa won the fight by unanimous decision. Two months later, Asahisa fought Leona Pettas in the tournament semifinals, and lost by a dominant unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 29-27). Asahisa suffered the first knockdown of his professional career in the first round of the fight.
Chinese circuit
After a loss to Wang Wanben at Wu Lin Feng 2017 World Championship Xi'an, Asahisa returned to K-1 to fight the one-time Krush Featherweight title challenger Tatsuya Oiwa at Krush 82. Asahisa won the fight by unanimous decision, managing to knock down Oiwa in the first round. Asahisa was next scheduled to fight Shue Shenzheng at the Wu Lin Feng 2018: -60kg World Championship Tournament, in a reserve bout of a WLF 60kg bout. He won the fight by decision. Asahisa extended his winning streak to three with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Yuzuki Satomi at Krush 91.
Asahisa was scheduled to make his return to K-1 at K-1 World GP 2018: K-1 Lightweight World Tournament, being scheduled to fight the former Krush Featherweight champion Riku Anpo. After a slow start in the first round, Asahisa began to build momentum from the second round onwards, managing to knock Anpo down in the dying seconds of the last round. Asahisa would win the fight by a unanimous decision, with two of the three judges scoring the bout 30-26 in his favor.
Second Krush Super Featherweight tournament
Asahisa once again took part in a Krush Super Featherweight tournament, with the quarterfinal bout being held at Krush 98. He was scheduled to fight a rematch with the Leona Pettas. Although the fight was closer than their first meeting, Pettas nonetheless won the bout by unanimous decision, eliminating Asahisa in the first round of the tournament.