By Joe Koizumi

This is sad news from South Korea. “Champion maker” Jin-Kil Kim, the owner of his Daewon gym in Seoul, passed away at the age of seventy-eight last Saturday (February 17). It was reported by Major Lee Won-Bok, secretary general of Korea Boxing Federation (KBF). Kim won the Novice King tournament in the lightweight division, though he couldn’t acquire the Korean national belt. He opened his gym to cultivate youngsters and produced many strong champions such as Chul-Ho Kim (WBC 115-pound champion), Myung-Woo Yuh (WBA 108-pound titleholder who was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame thanks to his seventeen defenses) and In-Jin Chi (WBC 126-pound ruler), etc. Kim was good at coaching such a non-stop combination puncher as Myung-Woo Yuh who was dubbed “evening shower.” May his soul rest in peace.