Kanto University Championships in Japan
16 July, 2015
Kenji Fujita is on the throne
Japan’s super talented young hope Kenji Fujita became the hero of the 68th Kamto University Boxing Championships where he recorded his 20th triumph, continued his winning path in the event and written history in that national level competition.
Japan’s University Boxing League is a good preparation for all of the boxers to raise their experiences before the main international actions. The final stage of the competition was held at the Light Flyweight class (49 kg), Flyweight class (52 kg), Bantamweight class (56 kg), Lightweight class (60 kg), Light Welterweight class (64 kg), Welterweight class (69 kg) and Middleweight class (75 kg).
Japan’s National Champion and AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships competitor Kenji Fujita claimed silver medal in the 2013 ASBC Asian Youth Continental Championships in Subic Bay, Philippines. Following that he secured bronze in the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Continental Championships in Amman, Jordan short after his 19th birthday. The young Japanese boxer failed his opening preliminary bout in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games last September but he raised the intense of his trainings since that loss which was in time during his career.
Kenji Fujita had to meet in the final of the Bantamweight class (56 kg) at the 68th Kamto University Boxing Championships with Ryuji Kanaka who trains in the Komazawa University where Japan’s big hope Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist 23-year-old Shota Hayashida also trains with national coach Yuji Oyamada.
The Takushoku University member boxer was too smart and too strong for Kanaka therefore finally his hand was raised after the battle. The talented Bantamweight class (56 kg) boxer won his 20th bout in the league and joined to the previous top athletes who could also reach the same unbeaten record in the long history of the event.
Only three Japanese boxers were able to get the same in the history of the Kamto University Championships in the last 68 editions. The first boxer who reached that level was Yasuhiko Soejima who could not take part in the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games due political reasons but attended in some other important boxing event and won the 1980 Asian Championships in Bombay, India.
The second boxer Fumitaka Nitami who qualified to the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and took part in the Light Welterweight class (63,5 kg). Naoki Ohira who was the biggest rival of Japan’s two-time Asian Games bronze medallist Katsuaki Susa and he was the third boxer who could do that excellent series in their university league.
Kenji Fujita will have a selection trial match against ASBC Asian Youth Continental Championships bronze medallist 20-year-old Masaya Kobayashi soon. The winner of the bout will get a place in the Japanese national team and take part in the ASBC Asian Confederation Continental Championships in Bangkok which will be the qualification event for the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
Kenji and his elder brother Yamato both are aiming for the quota to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games but they have got strong rivals at home as well. The Japanese boxers including Kenji Fujita are not only preparing to this year’s goals but they are also focusing to a longer mission to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.