Japanese boxing officials have said they would introduce urine tests, stricter rules on weight loss to prevent dehydration as well as improve medical cover at fighting bouts.
The Japan Pro Boxing Association, Japan Boxing Commission, and gym owners announced the new measures this Tuesday after an emergency meeting.
The emergency meeting was convened after super featherweight fighter Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight fighter, Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28 years old, died days after brain surgery on injuries they sustained in separate matches.
The exact cause of deaths is yet to be determined, but according to the World Boxing Association, dehydration caused by cutting weight rapidly is regarded as a factor in making the brain more susceptible to bleeding.
The president of Japan Pro Boxing Association, Shoji Kobayashi, expressed regrets over their deaths and said the new measures will be implemented as soon as possible.