Airman 1st Class Craig Jeudy celebrates after winning his first professional boxing match at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on June 10, 2025. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
TOKYO — In his professional boxing debut, an American airman relied on a sharp jab and superior conditioning to earn a majority decision victory Tuesday in a four-round match at Korakuen Hall.
Airman 1st Class Craig Jeudy, a communications specialist with 5th Air Force, defeated Japanese middleweight Ryohei Ibuki, with the three judges scoring the contest 39-37, 39-37 and 38-38.
Jeudy, 29, was supported by about 20 fans who traveled from Yokota Air Base and chanted his name during the final round, briefly overpowering the mostly Japanese crowd of approximately 1,500.
Airman 1st Class Craig Jeudy lands a jab on Japanese middleweight Ryohei Ibuki at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on June 10, 2025. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound fighter from Brooklyn, N.Y., had to weather a challenging fight, as the stocky Ibuki landed several powerful shots.
The bout was the second on the undercard leading up to the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific super lightweight title fight.
Jeudy raised his blue gloves in victory when the result was announced, drawing cheers from his fellow service members.
Among them was Airman 1st Class Tavares Hailey, who met Jeudy during a basketball tryout at Fisk University in Tennessee. Jeudy played the sport before switching to boxing after a knee injury.
The two now share a room at Yokota, Hailey said while watching a subsequent match. Jeudy joined the Air Force two years ago to support his young daughter and arrived in Japan in October 2023.
Airman 1st Class Craig Jeudy, right, faces Japanese middleweight Ryohei Ibuki at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on June 10, 2025. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
The most exciting part of his friend’s win was the final moments of the fight “when he really started letting loose and letting his hands go,” Hailey said.
Back in the locker room, Jeudy smiled while removing his gloves.
“It felt great,” he said. “There are a lot of things I need to work on.”
The crowd didn’t faze him, he added, noting that he focused on guidance from his corner.
Jeudy — the son of Haitian immigrants — said he was ready for Ibuki’s strength.
“I knew he was going to be a stockier guy, but I wasn’t worried about the power,” he said.
The support from fellow airmen was inspiring, Jeudy added.
“I heard ‘Jeudy’ the last 30-45 seconds and that lit a fire under me,” he said.
Rick Roberts, owner of Ringside Fitness Gym in Fussa, where Jeudy trains, was on hand to offer congratulations.
“He won the fight in the first round when he established the jab,” Roberts said.
Airman 1st Class Craig Jeudy relaxes alongside his trainer, Hideaki Ohara, after winning his first professional boxing match at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on June 10, 2025. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
