Former Japanese champion Ryoichi Tamura retires
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Earlier today it was announced that former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Ryoichi Tamura (16-8-2, 7) [田村亮一] had officially retired at the age of 37, ending a career that had been incredibly fun to follow, even if it never saw him branching out much beyond the Japanese regional scene.
Tamura had had mixed success in the amateurs, going 17-13, though seemed to be a fighter who's style was much more well suited to the professional ranks than the amateurs. He wasn’t quick, sharp, accurate or fleet footed. Instead of being a typical boxers he was a fighter, a rugged tank with an amazing engine, an unbreakable will and a teak tough chin. Attributes that saw him being dubbed a “Zombie” in the ring.
After his mixed amateur career Tamura began his professional campaign in 2013, losing in a 5 rounder to Wataru Miyasaka, who was fighting his 9th bout. He would struggle to make a mark early on, gong 3-2-1 in his first 5, though did score a win over the once touted Kenji Kubo and a technical draw Yoichi Ide, who had been a very credible amateur. In 2015 he stepped up a level and lost an 8 rounder to the under-rated Hideo Sakamoto before he found his grove, reeling off 5 wins, the longest winning streak of his career, to earn his first title fight in 2017.
That first title fight saw Tamura face the man he will forever be linked to by Japanese fans, Yusaku Kuga. Kuga, a hard hitting monster himself, was the Japanese Super Bantamweight champion 14-2-1 (11) record at the time and had avenged his second defeat, smashing Yasutaka Ishimoto in 2 rounds, to claim the Japanese title. The bout between Kuga and Tamura was a war. A brutal, grueling 10 round war, with Kuga doing enough to retain his title but Tamura proving he was than his 8-3-1 record suggested A 4 fight winning run for Tamura followed, with him beating Robert Udtohan along the way and Mugicha Nakagawa, in 2019, to claim the then vacant Japanese Super Bantamweight title, and putting on a perfect example of his "Zombie" fighting style, walking through Nakagawa and unloading on him round after round en route to a clear decision.
Sadly Tamura’s reign was a short one losing in a second bout with Kuga, this time a much closer one than their first, just 4 months after his title win. He would suffer another loss just 4 months later to Gakuya Furuhashi, in another sensational war. Win or lose Tamura was earning himself a reputation as a must watch, fan friendly warrior with his balls to the wall mentality. He would fight outside of Japan just once, winning the OPBF "silver" Super Bantameight title with a 2nd round TKO over Moensaku Yor in Taipei, before trying to recapture the Japanese title. Sadly for him he would lose in 2021 in a third meeting with Kuga, in a Japanese title eliminator, and lose the following year when he again came up short against Gakuya Furuhashi in a bout for the vacant title.
By the time of his loss to Furuhashi it looked clear he, Kuga and Furuhashi had pretty much beaten the fight out of each other. Furushashi wouldn’t fight against after the second Tamura bout fought only once more after his third bout with Tamura, that bout incidentally was a draw with Furuhashi. It seemed like Tamura probably should have retired there and then with his two brothers in violent arms. Between the three men they had shared 7 bouts, with Tamura facing Kuga 3 times and Furuhashi twice, and Furuhashi and Kuga meeting twice themselves. Instead of hanging them up Tamura continued on but looked a shadow of himself, going 1-1-1 in his final 3 bouts, with the last bout being a win over Taichi Sugimoto in August, letting him retire on a win at the age of 37.
Sadly for Tamura he was missing a few things that would have served him well. His engine was incredible, but a lack of power held him back from having major success. He would unload hundreds of punches, but would struggle to secure stoppages, getting just 7 in 26 bouts. Despite that his energy and toughness made him a must watch fighter and one who, despite his 16-8-2 (7) record built himself a cult following, and cemented his spot among the best domestic fighters at 122lbs for the better part of a decade. A true warrior and the sort of fighter the sport needs more of.
Tamura had had mixed success in the amateurs, going 17-13, though seemed to be a fighter who's style was much more well suited to the professional ranks than the amateurs. He wasn’t quick, sharp, accurate or fleet footed. Instead of being a typical boxers he was a fighter, a rugged tank with an amazing engine, an unbreakable will and a teak tough chin. Attributes that saw him being dubbed a “Zombie” in the ring.
After his mixed amateur career Tamura began his professional campaign in 2013, losing in a 5 rounder to Wataru Miyasaka, who was fighting his 9th bout. He would struggle to make a mark early on, gong 3-2-1 in his first 5, though did score a win over the once touted Kenji Kubo and a technical draw Yoichi Ide, who had been a very credible amateur. In 2015 he stepped up a level and lost an 8 rounder to the under-rated Hideo Sakamoto before he found his grove, reeling off 5 wins, the longest winning streak of his career, to earn his first title fight in 2017.
That first title fight saw Tamura face the man he will forever be linked to by Japanese fans, Yusaku Kuga. Kuga, a hard hitting monster himself, was the Japanese Super Bantamweight champion 14-2-1 (11) record at the time and had avenged his second defeat, smashing Yasutaka Ishimoto in 2 rounds, to claim the Japanese title. The bout between Kuga and Tamura was a war. A brutal, grueling 10 round war, with Kuga doing enough to retain his title but Tamura proving he was than his 8-3-1 record suggested A 4 fight winning run for Tamura followed, with him beating Robert Udtohan along the way and Mugicha Nakagawa, in 2019, to claim the then vacant Japanese Super Bantamweight title, and putting on a perfect example of his "Zombie" fighting style, walking through Nakagawa and unloading on him round after round en route to a clear decision.
Sadly Tamura’s reign was a short one losing in a second bout with Kuga, this time a much closer one than their first, just 4 months after his title win. He would suffer another loss just 4 months later to Gakuya Furuhashi, in another sensational war. Win or lose Tamura was earning himself a reputation as a must watch, fan friendly warrior with his balls to the wall mentality. He would fight outside of Japan just once, winning the OPBF "silver" Super Bantameight title with a 2nd round TKO over Moensaku Yor in Taipei, before trying to recapture the Japanese title. Sadly for him he would lose in 2021 in a third meeting with Kuga, in a Japanese title eliminator, and lose the following year when he again came up short against Gakuya Furuhashi in a bout for the vacant title.
By the time of his loss to Furuhashi it looked clear he, Kuga and Furuhashi had pretty much beaten the fight out of each other. Furushashi wouldn’t fight against after the second Tamura bout fought only once more after his third bout with Tamura, that bout incidentally was a draw with Furuhashi. It seemed like Tamura probably should have retired there and then with his two brothers in violent arms. Between the three men they had shared 7 bouts, with Tamura facing Kuga 3 times and Furuhashi twice, and Furuhashi and Kuga meeting twice themselves. Instead of hanging them up Tamura continued on but looked a shadow of himself, going 1-1-1 in his final 3 bouts, with the last bout being a win over Taichi Sugimoto in August, letting him retire on a win at the age of 37.
Sadly for Tamura he was missing a few things that would have served him well. His engine was incredible, but a lack of power held him back from having major success. He would unload hundreds of punches, but would struggle to secure stoppages, getting just 7 in 26 bouts. Despite that his energy and toughness made him a must watch fighter and one who, despite his 16-8-2 (7) record built himself a cult following, and cemented his spot among the best domestic fighters at 122lbs for the better part of a decade. A true warrior and the sort of fighter the sport needs more of.