By MASAAKI SHIBUYA/ Staff Writer
April 3, 2021 at 07:30 JST
OWARI-ASAHI, Aichi Prefecture--After wrapping up his days as a student while pursuing his dream of becoming a teacher, former world champion boxer Katsunari Takayama is now ready to take his opponents to school.
Takayama, 37, with diploma in hand, aims to complete unfinished business in the ring first, in a higher weight class.
“My goal at present is winning the championship,” Takayama said. “I will consider again whether to go through the practical instruction course and work as a teacher after finishing up my boxing career.”
Takayama, a minimumweight who has won world championships in the four major professional boxing organizations, including the prestigious World Boxing Association, recently completed his studies at Nagoya Sangyo University’s faculty of modern business.
“I made many discoveries and found the four-year course meaningful,” said a grinning Takayama after his graduation ceremony, looking back on his student life while competing at the top echelon of the sport.
Takayama received a diploma on March 19 at the school’s campus here. He had spent the four years at the university going to classes from his rented home nearby and earning credits via online lessons during the novel coronavirus crisis.
“I felt embarrassed on many occasions, such as being unable to respond well to questions, but all those experiences gave me significant lessons,” said Takayama.
As he could not attend the college’s teaching practice program due to a scheduled bout, Takayama decided to temporarily give up on obtaining the license to teach civics at senior high schools.
Making his debut in the pro ranks at age 17, Takayama started fighting overseas after turning 27.
He worked hard in South Africa and Mexico with an eye on winning world championship belts in the World Boxing Organization and the International Boxing Federation, which were not officially recognized by the Japan Boxing Commission at the time.
Following his retirement, Takayama in spring 2017 restarted his career as an amateur boxer to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, initially scheduled for 2020, but failed to be selected as part of Japan’s national team.
Takayama then resumed his professional career and won a six-round comeback match in the light flyweight division against Reiya Konishi, a world-ranked fighter, in December last year.
Takayama said he is aspiring to fight Hiroto Kyoguchi, the WBA light flyweight division super champion.
The match did not come off when talks were held between the two sides last summer, in part, because Takayama was not in the world rankings at that time. He now is ranked fifth in the world.
“I will 100 percent win if the fight is realized,” a confident Takayama predicted.
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Pro boxer Katsunari Takayama smiles while showing his diploma following his graduation ceremony at the campus of Nagoya Sangyo University in Owari-Asahi, Aichi Prefecture, on March 19. (Masaaki Shibuya)
