By Joe Koizumi
Photo: Boxing Beat Magazine
The Japanese culture might be so bizarre. Our people strongly hate ominous news mentioned before the new year coming. People wish to welcome 2024 in our fresh mind so that we eliminate bad memories of the past year and then reboot the prosperous new year. Having entered January, we have seen some information on celebrities or athletes having already passed in December. So, this is not an excuse that this reporter has thus delayed reporting the death of some boxing persons.
Shoji Tsujimoto, 75, former Japanese welterweight champ, passed away on December 23. Having scored an excellent amateur mark of 92-10, 46 stoppages and gained some national amateur belts, the tall, handsome and stylish southpaw turned professional as he entered Yonekura Gym presided by former world challenger Kenji Yonekura (who failed to win the world fly and bantam belts from Pascual Perez and Jose Becerra in 1959 and 1960). Tsujimoto entered the world top ten by defeating ex-champ Eddie Perkins on points (unanimous; 49-48, 49-47, 50-47) in 1974, and became the very first Japanese boxer to have an ambitious crack at the world welterweight belt against Jose Pipino Cuevas in his first defense, though, only to be demolished in six hard-fought rounds in Kanazawa in 1976.
Having registered twelve defenses of his national belt to his credit, Shoji, 27-4-2, 14 KOs, hung up gloves for good after his forfeiture of the Japanese title to Akio Kameda (who later challenged Aaron Pryor and Terry Marsh in 1982 and 1987). Tsujimoto established a security enterprise after his retirement, and opened Esaka Boxing Gym in 1993—thanks to financial supports of his elder brother Hidemori (who fought Carlos Teo Cruz, Eddie Perkins, etc.). Shoji produced Japanese 115-pound champ Koki Moribe (12-1-2, 2 KOs), who, however, retired because of an eye ailment. It is said Tsujimoto suffered such a serious sickness to enter a sanatorium some ten years ago. May his soul rest in peace.
Also passing away on December 8 was Koji Matsuda, 81, the owner and promoter of Matsuda Boxing Gym, who had cultivated a couple of world champions such as WBC 122-pound champ Kiyoshi Hatanaka (now the handler of three-division titlist Kosei Tanaka) and WBC 118-pound ruler Yasuei Yakushiji. Koji’s father Yasuo, who reportedly fought some forty bouts in Nagoya before World War II, opened the Matsuda Gym, which was succeeded by his son Koji. Now that Koji passed, his gym will be succeeded by his son Kota Matsuda. Bon voyage.
Damn, not a good way to start the new year! R.I.P.
FightNews. Surely they deserved separate articles.
May he rest in peace and may God comfort his family and loved ones…