I recently traveled halfway across the world to cover some world championship boxing in Japan and was taken aback by how differently they do things compared to back home in the United Kingdom. I experienced some strange music performances during Kameda Promotions’ world title double header in Osaka – as well as some seriously good street food at the venue. Yokohama was a little different; the Ohashi Boxing Gym held another event with two world title fights. The pyrotechnics and visuals on offer made the big promoters’ shows in Britain look like something off the small-hall scene.
The biggest difference I found, however, was how the Japanese Boxing Commission ran things out there. They have a lot of rules that differ from the British Boxing Board of Control’s and some strange ones, too, like how Japanese fighters must cover all tattoos during contests. This rule stems from cultural associations between tattoos and organized crime. But, they also have some refreshing rulings that I feel the UK and the rest of the boxing world can learn from.
Fighters are encouraged to take the domestic title route
Every boxing fan in the UK considers the famous Lord Lonsdale belt to be sacred. A beautiful belt that most of the greats have lifted, these days too many fighters choose to skip the so-called British level. An example of this is Conor Benn. He is yet to win a domestic title, but is ranked in the top five at 147 and 154lbs by several governing bodies. It seems only a matter of time before Benn is awarded a title shot, given his huge profile, despite his lack of domestic and amateur experience.
This would not be allowed by the Japanese Boxing Commission. They, almost refreshingly, expect fighters licensed under the JBC to win their domestic Japanese title or an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation belt [EBU equivalent] before stepping up to fight for world honours. A fighter can, though, apply for an exemption to this rule. An example of that is their biggest star Naoya Inoue, who was allowed to bypass this rule because of his impressive amateur pedigree.
This brings extra meaning to the so-called domestic titles. Imagine a world in which fighters like Benn had to test themselves against the likes of Ekow Essuman and Conah Walker before jumping into a big showdown with the likes of Jaron Ennis. In my opinion, the British title should not be skipped. It is a true test of whether a fighter is ready for the next stage and should not be ignored. In all fairness to Benn, he did try and get in the ring with then-British champion Chris Jenkins, but promoters got in the way of that domestic dust-up.
Graded licences
In the UK we have one licence, and whether you’re Tyson Fury or his unheralded younger brother Tommy, they’re all the same. You can box just about anybody with it. We see 5-94 journeymen pitted against 10-0 prospects on seemingly every fight night in Britain, yet this does not happen in Japan. I recently attended three shows on Japanese shores which showcased everything from professional debuts, domestic title clashes and world title action. Not one of those cards featured a so-called ‘journeyman’. Don’t get me wrong, there was a clear gap in class in some of those bouts, but each fighter came in with a winning record or close to it.
There are three levels of professional licence in Japan: class C, B, and A. Fighters can only compete against an opponent who is of the same class of licence as them. Before a Japanese fighter is granted a professional licence they must undergo a series of assessments, and then the JBC will choose which license to award the applicant.
They are as follows:
C-Class Licence (Entry Level)
Who it's for: New professionals just turning pro.
Restrictions:
Can fight 4-round bouts only.
Typically against other C-class fighters.
How to get it:
Pass the JBC Professional Boxer Test, which includes:
Medical exam (eye test, brain scan, heart test, etc.).
Written test (basic boxing knowledge and rules).
Skills test (sparring with a licenced pro or equivalent).
B-Class Licence
Who it's for: Intermediate fighters with some pro experience.
Restrictions: Can fight 6-round bouts.
How to get it:
Usually after 2+ wins at the C-class level.
Must pass evaluation sparring and/or official performance review.
Some fighters with strong amateur records may start directly at B-class.
A-Class Licence
Who it's for: Top-level domestic and international fighters.
Restrictions:
Can fight 8 to 12-round bouts.
Eligible for title fights (Japanese, OPBF, World).
How to get it:
Must have consistently strong results at B-class.
Typically need to win a B-class tournament or beat other top B-class fighters.
The JBC evaluates fighters case by case and fighters with high-level amateur careers may jump straight to A-class after testing. JBC official Peter Hung spoke to BoxingScene about the process of gaining a professional license in Japan.
“Boxers, they have to take the pro test. We do it every month,” said Hung. “So, we have the pen [written] test which means you have to know the rules of the JBC. And also [the] practicing test. You have to go through with another tester to show you have the ability to defend yourself. When you defend yourself, you also can attack your opponent efficiently. And also, you have the stamina to hold for four rounds, because most of the amateurs only have the stamina for three. So, the point is stamina and effective punch, and defend yourself at all times.
“And if for some reason, if we have [high level] amateur boxers, they can directly take the class B or class A. Like if you're an Olympic champion, they can jump. They can take the Class A. Or if you have a top 10 ranking in the amateur world, you can take Class B. So, we will make a decision in JBC. So, if this is a good fighter, you can take the Class B or take the Class A. Even if you want to go boxing, it's okay to go amateur. If you're doing well, you can also turn pro easily. So, we try to make a connection between amateur and pro.”
Strict rules on coming in overweight
In Japan, coming in overweight is seen as a crime. The JBC have strict punishments for those who hit the scales over the agreed amount. In March 2018, during the weigh-in for his WBC bantamweight title defense against Shinsuke Yamanaka in Tokyo, Luis Nery weighed in at 123lbs — five pounds over the 118-pound limit. Despite being given additional time to shift the weight, he still weighed in at 121lbs – three pounds over the limit. Nery went on to win the contest by second-round knockout, but following this fight the JBC suspended Nery indefinitely, citing that Nery coming in overweight "seriously damaged the social reputation of the sport of boxing."
Hung also spoke to BoxingScene about some of the other rules the JBC has in place to stop dangerous contests taking place.
“Well, in JBC, if the weight is over three per cent the day before the fight - if it's over three per cent of your weight class - you will be disqualified immediately,” he said. “If you are more or less than eight per cent, we strongly recommend you change your weight class to your next fight. That's our rule. It's not forced. Three per cent is DQ, for sure.”
Longer length between bouts
In the UK we have fighters, or “journeymen”, who seem to fight every other week up and down the country with no intention of winning. They essentially turn up to survive and pick up their paycheck. Going the distance is a win to them because a knockout defeat means they cannot compete for 28 days, and any arranged fights in that time period would have to be cancelled. In Japan, their rules on how often a fighter can box are much safer.
“We have a very strict law. You have one pro fight and you will be banned for one month,” Hung said. “You cannot get in any fight, because the damage will remain. So, win or lose – one month. At least one. You [get] knocked out – three months. You [get] knocked out and then brain damage. At least three months. And you have to check with the doctor. If the doctor says you're okay to go, you're okay to go. That's our rules. Very strict.”
They also have rulings that try and prohibit bouts between so-called “journeymen” and prospects.
“We do have boxers, even if they pass, but they keep losing,” he said. “[If] continuously three [fights], we strongly recommend they improve their skill or technique. We will not DQ because he's bad. We will not DQ, but when next time he's got a matchmaking, we'll see the record. If it's too bad, maybe we'll check with the opponent. If it's not a fair fight, we'll stop them. We're trying to make a fair fight and keep it safe. That's the point.”
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In conclusion, I would like to pass on my well wishes to Ginjiro Shigeoka, who is currently recovering from a bleed on the brain from his strawweight title fight with Pedro Taduran. Ginjiro was a truly lovely person to be around on fight week, and patiently waited for me to find a translator, when he was originally planning to leave the venue after weighing in. He had no fear heading into the bout with Taduran, even after the events of the fight before, and I truly hope he makes a full recovery and is able to live a full and happy life beyond the ropes.
