"The Japanese Production Line"

[kebark]

Earlier this year Fuji TV ran a show featuring Naoya Inoue and dubbed it "Exciting Time". The show, which featured not only Inoue but also the public exhibition of Ryota Murata, really did suggest that we were at the beginning of a very exciting time in Japanese boxing.

When you recall that actual card, on April 16th this year, you'll also remember that it saw the 7th straight stoppage victory for the highly touted Ryo Matsumoto further adding to the idea of "Exciting Time".

Since then however things have just become a little more exciting, in fact we'd go as far as to suggest Japanese boxing is on the verge of a Golden Age thanks to all the young talent coming through. There are so many good youngsters that we felt the need to talk about them, though unfortunately we're bound to over-look some just due to how many there are right now.

Continued here - http://www.asianboxing.info/12/post/2013/10/the-japanese-production-line.html

Amazing how many amazing fighters are coming through in Japan. It'd be staggering to think that you could have Ioka, Inoue and Tanaka all in action against each other in the next 2-3 years. Scary potential there.

 

[GhostBlade]

Meh, I don't watch anything below welterweight. There are too many fights in welterweight and higher for me to care about the lower weight classes.

 

[kebark]

Meh, I don't watch anything below welterweight. There are too many fights in welterweight and higher for me to care about the lower weight classes.

So Murata (MW/SMW), possibly Okada (LWW/WW) and possibly Nakatani (LW-though a freakishly tall LW who will be at WW by the time he's done) interest you then?

 

[GhostBlade]

So Murata (MW/SMW), possibly Okada (LWW/WW) and possibly Nakatani (LW-though a freakishly tall LW who will be at WW by the time he's done) interest you then?

I'm not sure. When I think of Japanese boxers I don't think of all-time greats. It would be nice to see a decent Japanese boxer in the pros that boxing fans worldwide can get excited about and not just Japanese boxing fans.

 

[kebark]

I'm not sure. When I think of Japanese boxers I don't think of all-time greats. It would be nice to see a decent Japanese boxer in the pros that boxing fans worldwide can get excited about and not just Japanese boxing fans.

Harada not count as an all time great? Gushiken?

I'm shocked more fans aren't able to get excited about the two Takashi's at 130lbs (Uchiyama and Miura) two of the most fun to watch fighters on the planet. If Murata can't get Western fans interested then I think Western fans have some serious problems.

 

[GhostBlade]

Harada not count as an all time great? Gushiken?

I'm shocked more fans aren't able to get excited about the two Takashi's at 130lbs (Uchiyama and Miura) two of the most fun to watch fighters on the planet. If Murata can't get Western fans interested then I think Western fans have some serious problems.

I'm not a hardcore enough boxing fan to know who any of those guys are. I can't really get excited for the little guys in any combat sport. In boxing I generally watch welterweights and higher and in MMA I like to watch lightweights (155 lbs) and higher.

 

[consortium11]

I'm not sure. When I think of Japanese boxers I don't think of all-time greats. It would be nice to see a decent Japanese boxer in the pros that boxing fans worldwide can get excited about and not just Japanese boxing fans.

Fighting Harada's generally seen as one of the best of all time.

The issue for Japanese boxers with regards to world wide fans is that as a rule they compete in weightclasses that aren't particularly popular outside Asia (although Mexico has some good boxers at those weights) and there's both enough competition in Asia and enough money in Japan that it makes little sense for them to leave. In a world with youtube and streaming it's easier to follow them today but it's still a challenge.