Katsuo Tokashiki

When we look back over the history of Japanese boxing there are a lot of world champions who are often forgotten, especially by Western fans. There are a number of reasons why they are so over looked, and often it's due to them having a short reign and fighting at a lower weight class. That's certainly the case for Katsuo Tokashiki (19-4-2, 4), who is better known with some fans for his non-boxing work than his actual boxing career, but more about that later.
 
Tokashiki was born in Okinawa in and 1960 both moved to Takarazuka in Hyogo as a young child due to the work of his parents. Sadly though he was a problematic child, and dropped out of high school. He was reportedly involved in street fights on a regular basis and had earned a reputation locally due to his behaviour.
 
Despite being a delinquent he was bit by the boxing bug in 1977, whilst watching the first bout between Yoko Gushiken and Jaime Rios. At the time Tokashiki was in his teens, and would travel to Tokyo to begin his own professional boxing career, training at the Kyoei Gym, who were also managing Gushiken's career.

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Tokashiki would make his debut in December 1978, at the age of 18, and defeat Nobuo Hamada over 4 rounds. The following year was Tokashiki's first real year as a professional and he would impressively go 6-0-1 during the year, winning the East Japan Rookie of the Year crown at Light Flyweight. Although his opponents that year were novices they did include future Japanese champion Katsumi Sato, who held Tokashiki to a draw in July.
 
By winning the East Japan Rookie of the Year in 1979 Tokashiki would then fight in the All Japan Rookie of the Year final in early 1980. In that final he would defeat Fujio Ito, with a 6 round decision. He was among a Rookie of the Year class that also included future Super Flyweight champion Jiro Watanabe.
 
Having won the All Japan Rookie of the Year Tokashiki would then take on his first international foe, and would surprisingly lose a decision to Korean fighter Chong Chul Park. This defeat for Tokashiki would see him falling to 8-1-1, and whilst it was a set back it should be noted that Park would later go on to win the Korean Bantamweight title and fight for the OPBF title as well. That loss was quickly put into the rear view mirror by the Japanese fighter, who would beat Manabu Irei less than 3 months later with an 8 round decision.
 
After 11 bouts Tokashiki was 20 years old and had a record of 9-1-1. He hadn't yet scored a stoppage. That changed in November 1980 when he scored a 9th round KO win over Phoenix Taniguchi, who had twice challenged for the Japanese Light Flyweight title.
 
Having only been a professional for a few years Tokashiki really came into his own in 1981. He began the year with a 10 round decision over Toshihiro Okumoto, who he would stop later in the year. Between those two wins over Okumoto was a win over former world title challenger Yong Hyun Kim, who had previously challenged Yoko Gushiken. When Tokashiki beat Kim the Korean was the OPBF Light Flyweight champion, and it showed that the Japanese fighter was close to a world title fight.
 
To end 1981 Tokashiki would get his first world title shot, taking on the then WBA Light Flyweight champion Hwan Jin Kim. Kim had fought in Japan previously, beating future world champion Shigeo Nakajima, and had been the man to take the title from Pedro Flores who had himself taken it from Yoko Gushiken. Tokashiki would shine against Kim, taking a wide decision win over the previously unbeaten Korean to become the new world champion.
 
As a champion Tokashiki's reign saw him being forever linked to Mexican challenger Lupe Madera, who he would fight 4 times. The first of the bouts with Madera would be Tokashiki's first defense, and was a very competitive bout that ended in a split decision win for the Japanese champion. There was almost nothing to split the men, and this was later seen in their triology of rematches which were all razor thin bouts, but more about those later.
 
In his second defense Tokashiki defeated countryman Masaharu Inami, stopping Inami in the 8th round, whilst having a comfortable lead. Inami, who had been the Japanese national champion, was unable cope with the speed, accuracy and clean punching of Tokashiki, who regularly landed clean uppercuts dropping Inami with one prior to the stoppage. Amazingly his would be Tokashiki's third stoppage win in 18 bouts, though it is worth noting that all 5 of Inami's career defeats were by T/KO.
 
Tokaskita would record his third defense by out pointing Sung Nam Kim over 15 rounds at the Korakuen Hall. Kim had won the Korean and OPBF titles prior to this world title fight and he would be competitive with Tokashiki, though lose a pretty clear decision to the speedy and talented Japanese fighter. In his fourth defense Tokashiki would defense his title against the man he took it from, Hwan Jin Kim, defeating Kim by clear decision, in a bout that was closer than their original contest but another win for the Japanese fighter. 
 
In April 1983 Tokashiki would have his second bout with Lupe Madera. This bout would ended in a razor draw over 15 rounds. The bout saw the two fighters really going to war in a brilliant back and forth contest at the highest level. Both fought at a high pace through out, with Tokashiki looking boxing brilliantly behind his razor sharp jab and excellent footwork, and Madera landing the more powerful single blows. This draw would lead to a third match between the two men. Despite having had two very hotly contest bouts it was this third clash that really brought the controversy to the rivalry. Madera was stopped in round 4, with a huge cut from a clash of head. The bout was stopped and saw Tokashiki being announced as the winner, before officials reversed the decision and gave Madera a 4th round technical decision win. This reversal lead to confusion with the commentators and a massive outburst from the fans with some throwing items into the ring whilst Madera celebrated.
 
The controversial nature of the technical decision loss to Madera saw Tokashiki getting a 4th bout with the Mexican. Once again this was a razor thin bout, with almost nothing separating the two fighters. Despite being close this one would go to Madera, with all 3 of the judges having the bout split by 2 points over 15 rounds.
 
Having not only lost the title, but also failed to reclaim it from his nemesis Tokashiki would take on unbeaten domestic foe Takashi Sakakibara, who he stopped in 6 rounds. That win would set Tokashiki up for another chance to win a world title, travelling over to Korea, for his international debut, to face WBC Light Flyweight champion Jung Koo Chang. Sadly for Tokashiki he was up against one of the all time greats. Tokashiki would put up a good effort but ultimately the aggression and power of Chang would be too much and the Japanese fight would be stopped in round 9 after a series of big head shots from Chang.
 
Tokashiki would retire after losing to Chang, at the age of 24, but wouldn't fade away. 
 
Following his retirement Tokashikia became a regular on Japanese TV. He was in a number drama's as an actor, on various variety programs, and even in a couple of movies. His focused changed in the mid 1990's, moving away from TV work to running the Tokashiki Boxing gym, which he set up, and also being a key member of the team that began campaigning for Iwao Hakamada's retrial, along with former world champions like Hideki Todaka, Koichi Wajima, Satoshi Iida and Leopard Tamakuma.

(Image courtesy of JPBOX)