By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japanese national hero, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and WBA middleweight champion Ryota Murata (13-1, 10 KOs) participated in a public workout at the Teiken Gym on Monday prior to his title defense against Italian Emanuele Blandamura (27-2, 5 KOs) in Yokohama, Japan, on April 15.

For Murata, 32, it will be his initial defense since he dethroned Frenchman Hassan N’Dam N’jikam via a TKO win after the seventh in their grudge fight last October. Before more than eighty press/television people and photographers, Murata showed good form in sparring sessions.

The champ said, “I believe I’m superior to Blandamura in power and stamina, and wish to fight by keeping my distance.” Murata has become such a household name here as frequently appears in TV commercials and full-page advertisements for some merchandise.