Siro Choi: The Unbeaten Uzbek Lightweight Every Boxing Fan Should Know

Some knockouts arrive out of nowhere. Siro Choi's are built, round by round, until his opponent has nothing left. The Uzbek-born lightweight, who fights out of South Korea, is unbeaten in 12 professional fights with nine wins inside the distance.

Born Sirochbek Ismoilov in Andijan, Uzbekistan, Choi made his professional debut in July 2023. Less than three years later, he stopped a man who had taken a future world champion the full 12 rounds, and he needed fewer than three to do it. Here is everything you need to know about one of the most dangerous prospects at 135lb: his background, his record, his style and the fights that made his name.

Siro Choi at a Glance

Who Is Siro Choi?

Siro Choi was born on 16 March 2001 in Andijan, in eastern Uzbekistan. He took up boxing aged six, following his father into the sport. Uzbekistan has become one of amateur boxing's great production lines, and Choi came through that system as a member of the national team, winning a silver medal at Commonwealth of Independent States level.

The turning point came in 2023, when he met Choi Wan-il, head of the FW1 boxing club, who persuaded him to move to South Korea. Within months, he had turned professional there under the name Siro Choi, taking his mentor's surname. He made his debut on 29 July 2023, winning a six-round unanimous decision.

Early Career and the South Korean Title

Choi's first three fights all went to the scorecards, giving him valuable rounds as a young professional. Then the stoppages started. In May 2024, he knocked out Bhinder Singh in the first round, and the gap between them was about more than power. Choi was simply reading the fight faster.

Sunil Kumar, a durable opponent, made him work harder. Choi spent the opening round gathering information and timing Kumar's rhythm, then broke him down with steady, punishing combinations. After the third round, Kumar stayed on his stool.

In August 2024, Choi met experienced Filipino Juanito Paredes for the South Korean lightweight title. He went looking for Paredes from the first bell and raised the pressure every round. By the fourth, Paredes' legs had gone and the fight was stopped. Choi had his first professional belt in only his sixth fight.

WBA Asia Champion: The Oh Ji-sub Knockout

Two months later, in October 2024, Choi stepped up to championship distance for the vacant WBA Asia lightweight title. Across the ring was Korean prospect Oh Ji-sub, and the bout was billed as a meeting of two rising names.

The opening exchanges were cagey, with both men working behind the jab. Once Choi had the timing, everything changed. A sharp right hand put Oh down, and when Oh came forward looking to respond, a counter sent him to the canvas again. It was over in the second round, and Choi had a second belt after just seven fights.

Taking Apart the Veterans: Mark Sales and Michael Correa

Vastly experienced journeymen are often brought in to give a prospect rounds. Mark Sales fitted that description perfectly. The Filipino southpaw's professional career dated back to 1997, he had shared the ring with names including Nonito Donaire and Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

Choi spent the opening minutes doing what he does best: watching. Once he had seen enough, the dismantling began. Sales tried to tie him up and see out the rounds, but Choi was ruthlessly efficient, and Sales was retired on his stool after the third in November 2024.

Michael Correa followed in February 2025 and learned quickly that defensive lapses are not tolerated against Choi. He was knocked out in the third round, taking Choi to nine wins from nine.

Siro Choi vs Shuichiro Yoshino: The Real Test

In April 2025, the matchmaking took a sharp turn. Choi was put in with Japan's Shuichiro Yoshino, with the WBA Asia lightweight title on the line. Yoshino arrived at 17-1, a former triple crown champion whose only defeat had come against Shakur Stevenson. It was the classic test: was the prospect being moved too fast?

Choi started quickly, mixing speed with accuracy. Yoshino did not fold. Backed by high ring IQ and real durability, he fired back with sharp combinations, and for the first time Choi had to rely on footwork and small adjustments to hold a slight edge.

The middle rounds brought a new problem. Choi had never been beyond six rounds as a professional, and fatigue was setting in just as Yoshino began landing his heavier shots. This was a test of grit as much as skill.

In the 10th, fighting through exhaustion, Choi found the sequence he had been searching for and dropped Yoshino. The Japanese veteran beat the count, but the momentum had swung for good. One round later, Choi's heavy punches forced the referee to step in. He had shown he could take punishment, push through tiredness and still close the show against a world-class operator.

Siro Choi vs Giovanni Cabrera: The Statement Win

After flattening Filipino Ruben Santillanosa with a body shot in October 2025, Choi put his WBA Asia belt on the line against Giovanni Cabrera on 5 April 2026. This one mattered beyond the region.

Cabrera, a Chicago southpaw, was unbeaten at 21-0 when he took Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz the full 12 rounds in July 2023, losing a split decision in a WBC and WBA lightweight eliminator. Cruz went on to become a world champion. That gave fans a clear measuring stick: to prove he belonged at elite level, Choi needed to deal with Cabrera more decisively than Cruz had.

Early on, Cabrera's awkward stance and tricky timing caused Choi genuine problems. So Choi recalibrated, as he always does. He varied his attacks, shifted his angles and found the exact distance needed to slip Cabrera's shots. In the third round, he showed a subtle feint to the body to draw Cabrera in, then landed a left hook that caught him flush. The fight was waved off at 2:45 of round three.

Cruz needed 12 rounds and the judges. Choi needed fewer than three.

Siro Choi's Fighting Style

Choi gathers information first and does the damage second. These are the traits that keep showing up:

• Patient starts: he often uses the first round to read his opponent's rhythm and timing before committing.
• Fast adjustments: when a style causes him problems, as Cabrera's did, he changes angles and distance mid-fight rather than forcing it.
• Body work and feints: the Santillanosa finish came downstairs, and a body feint set up the shot that ended the Cabrera fight.
• Composure under fire: the Yoshino fight proved he can handle adversity and fatigue deep into a 12-round contest.
• Finishing instinct: nine of his 12 wins have come inside the distance, a 75% knockout rate.
• Southpaw stance: a 69.5in reach and a left-handed setup make him awkward to time.

Siro Choi's Professional Record

Siro Choi is 12-0 with nine knockouts as of October 2026.

What's Next for Siro Choi?

Choi's next assignment is set. He defends his WBA Asia lightweight title against Keisham Luckysun Singh on 25 October 2026. At 25, he has already won two titles and beaten two seasoned operators in Yoshino and Cabrera.

Lightweight is one of boxing's deepest divisions, and Choi is still early in his career. That leaves the most exciting question of all: if this is what he looks like while he is still learning, what happens when the Uzbek-Korean technician reaches his prime?

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