Japan ranked No.1 in the Tokyo 1958 Asian Games where Burma also won title in the boxing tournament

Following the first historical Asian Games in 1954 the next edition was held in the Japanese capital in Tokyo four years later. The 1958 edition of the Asian Games was a preparation for Tokyo to their 1960 Olympic Games and it was taking place in the Korakuen Ice Palace where the crowd could see six Japanese gold medals.
The first boxing tournament was held in 7 men weight classes in Manila but in the second edition boxers could attend in 10 different categories. Japan achieved 60% of the titles in the boxing tournament but South Korea took two gold medals while Burma and Chinese Taipei also won one weight classes in Tokyo. Burma and Chinese Taipei won their lone boxing titles in the history of the Asian Games in Tokyo.
Altogether 62 male boxers from 11 nations attended in the boxing tournament of the Tokyo 1958 Olympic Games. The participating countries were the followings: Burma, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, India, Iran, host Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.
Philippines’ titleholder Celedonio Espinosa attended in the 1958 edition but he claimed only bronze medal in Tokyo. Myanmar’s 21-year-old Thein Myint attended in the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games but surprisingly he has defeated his Japanese rival in the final of the bantamweight (54kg). South Korea’s Kim Ki Soo was only 18 but he was able to win his welterweight (67kg) final against Iran’s Soren Pirjanian.