- Source: Koichi (kickboxer)
Koichi Watanabe (Japanese: コウイチ) (26 October 1980 - 7 April 2018), better known as Koichi Pettas or simply KOICHI, was a Japanese heavyweight kickboxer competing in K-1, It's Showtime and GLORY.
Biography and career
Koichi gained recognition fighting in organizations like RISE and MARS, then went on to win the M-1 Heavyweight Muaythai title in 2009 and the WPMF Japan Heavyweight Muaythai title in 2010. Having spent most of his career at heavyweight, Koichi dropped to light-heavyweight following back-to-back losses to Jerome Le Banner in GLORY events. He retired from active competition in November 2017 to become a trainer. Koichi was killed in a traffic accident on April 7, 2018. He collided with a car while driving a scooter in Tokyo. He was declared dead shortly upon arrival at the hospital.
Titles
2010 WPMF Japan Heavyweight Muaythai champion
2009 M-1 Heavyweight Muaythai champion
Kickboxing record
See also
List of male kickboxers
List of K-1 Events
References
External links
Official K-1 website
Koichi Watanabe official website