Shinji Takehara

Shinji Takehara (Japanese竹 原 慎 二, Shinji Takehara; born January 25, 1972 in Hiroshima Prefecture ) is a former Japanese professional boxer and former WBA world champion at middleweight. He is the first and only Japanese middleweight world champion, yet also could not Japanese win a world title in a higher weight class.

Boxing career

Takehara on 15 May in 1989 with a knockout win in the fourth round against Masao Tadano his professional debut. By July 1991, he won nine more fights, eight by knockout. On October 28, 1991, he was with a knockout win in round 7 against Takehito Saijo (12-3 ), Japanese middleweight champion. He defended the title followed by whacked in the second round against Hisashi Teraji (6-0 ) by KO in the fifth round against Satoshi Yokozaki (8-10), as well as on points against Yoshinori Nishizawa (6-5 ) and Biney Martin ( 11-1).

On 24 May 1993, he won by whacked in the twelfth round against the undefeated Sung Chun Lee, the Oriental -Pacific Championship title ( OPBF ) at middleweight. He then played seven successful title defenses, five of them by knockout.

On 19 December 1995 he received a world title opportunity the WBA middleweight against the Argentines and big favorites Jorge Fernando Castro ( 98-4, 68 Ko). Takehara dominated the ensuing battle and clearly had the title defender on the ground before he was declared by the full twelve rounds for unanimous points winner ( 116:114, 118:112, 117:111 ). On 24 June 1996, he contested his first title defense against the undefeated American William Joppy ( 21-0, 17 Ko). Takehara was beaten in the ninth round by doing good idea, however; he was taken from the referee after 2:29 minutes of the fight, after which he had to take almost verteidungsunfähig heavy hits in the corner. Then he stepped back from active speakers.

Along with boxing champion Takanori Hatakeyama in Tokyo, he opened a boxing and fitness club.