TOKYO DRIFT
immense energy and anticipation. A superfight takes all of the above and gives it a huge injection of adrenaline. You can see it in people’s eyes. The best versus the best is such a rarity in boxing that everyone wants to absorb the moment and take it all in. When the stakes are at their highest, this is far and away the purest of all sports. Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue defending his undisputed junior featherweight championship against compatriot Junto Nakatani on May 2 at the Tokyo Dome was as good as it gets. Two unbeaten fighters. Two multi- weight world champions. Two pound- for-pound entrants. Two exciting and dynamic fighting styles. Two knockout artists. On the cover of our December 2025 issue, we named a potential matchup between the pair as “The Perfect Storm,” and that was not hyperbole. In Japan,
when it was made official, the biggest fight in the country’s history was labeled simply as “The Day.” I was lucky enough to attend the fight, which took place before a sold- out crowd of 55,000 fans. I’d looked forward to Inoue vs. Nakatani for years and felt blessed to be there. Outside media obligations, I fought off jet lag to mix in as many boxing-related side trips as I possibly could. As is always the case when I visit Japan, this was an unforgettable experience. KORAKUEN HALL I departed the U.K. early on Monday morning of fight week, but, due to the time difference, arrived at my hotel around midday on Tuesday. I slept for a few hours, then took a 10-minute walk down to the Tokyo Dome, which was swarming with baseball fans ahead of
a matchup between the Yomiuri Giants and Hiroshima Toyo Carp. By early evening, I was fading again and needed more sleep. On Wednesday, my friend and colleague Daisuke Sugiura, a Japanese sportswriter based in New York, arrived in Tokyo. Daisuke and I have talked about boxing for many years, mainly for a Japanese publication called The Number, which he contributes to regularly. A terrific professional, Daisuke knows boxing and is a joy to be around, so when he said he had tickets for a show at the famous Korakuen Hall, I was all in. Korakuen Hall, which is a two-minute walk from the Tokyo Dome, has been
Fighting Harada’s Ring Magazine belt. ... Action from the famed Korakuen Hall.
boxers were going wild. The action was high-contact, with give-and- take wars and blood spraying under the lights. In the main event, middleweight Koshinmaru Saito, 47, was held to a draw by journeyman Mitsuyoshi Oshima, who was 11 years his junior. It was an amazing experience, made even better when I came across a glass boxing display just outside the main arena, which housed, among other things, Fighting Harada’s original Ring Magazine flyweight title belt. The legendary Harada, who also won the bantamweight crown, defeated Thailand’s Pone Kingpetch via 11th-round knockout to win that belt at the Kuramae Kokugikan arena in October 1962.
Inoue’s sharp right hand was an excellent weapon against the southpaw.
THE AMAZING BOY
Although it underwent a rebuild in 2010, the famed Misako Gym was first founded in the 1960s by former Japanese and OPBF flyweight champion Hitoshi Misako. Among the great fighters to walk through its doors was the aforementioned Koichi Wajima, who reigned as the undisputed junior middleweight champion in the 1970s. Today, the Misako Gym is where former two-weight world champion Kenshiro Teraji hones his skills. I’ve been a Teraji fan for years, and justifiably so. The Kyoto native has been a wonderful ambassador for boxing, showcasing an exciting balls-to-the-wall style that often has him in the running for Fight of the Year honors. Following Thursday’s final press conference for Inoue-Nakatani,
the main breeding ground for Japanese boxing talent since it was erected in 1962. They’ve all fought there: Fighting Harada, Yoko Gushiken, Koichi Wajima, Shinsuke Yamanaka, Kazuto Ioka, Inoue and Nakatani. This was also the venue where heavyweight legend Joe Frazier won the only gold medal for the U.S. boxing team at the 1964 Olympic Games. Located on the fifth floor of the Korakuen Hall building and holding approximately 2,000 fans for boxing
events, it’s a magical place, similar to the York Hall in London or the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia. Daisuke cut his teeth at Korakuen Hall, attending two or three shows a week. That was a long time ago, but the venue remains just as busy and vibrant in its seventh decade. When the elevator doors opened, we were greeted by a wall of sound that you only encounter at a combat sports event. Remember all the talk about Japanese fight fans being reserved? Not here. Friends and family of the competing
34 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
RINGMAGAZINE.COM 35
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker