Mr. Hirokuni Moto – “We want deepen friendships between the participating countries through boxing”

Mr. Hirokuni Moto is the head coach of the Japanese boxing team who was named as the Best Asian Coach of the Year in 2017 following their great elite, youth and junior successes. Mr. Hirokuni Moto arrived to Bangkok with their strong and developing team to attend in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament.
Their boxers have been preparing to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and this event and also the Asian Games are only footsteps for their road to the most important event of the cycle. Mr. Hirokuni Moto shared us his thoughts and opinions about the current Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament and Japan’s participation in the Asian Games.
“We came here to Bangkok finally with six boxers to give them chance to box in the international competitions. The organizing committee of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament is wonderful as usual, they are doing excellent job in all areas of the competition so we are satisfied.
We are in the middle stage of the Kanto University National Boxing League and we were not able to come with our best boxers as Tomoya Tsuboi, Ryusei Baba, Hayato Tsutsumi, Arashi Morisaka and Issei Aramoto. We selected those who are over their university ages or needs more international experiences to develop.
We did not prepare specifically to the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament, we are on the road to the Asian Games. We are expecting to win as much as possible here in Bangkok and hopefully a few medals as well. ASBC Asian Youth Champion 19-year-old Ryutaro Nakagaki has got the biggest potential for the future in our current participating team but he is new in the elite level.
We have selected 7 men athletes and 1 woman boxer to the boxing tournament of the upcoming Asian Games. We will have National Sports Festival in October, then Men’s National Championships and Women’s National Championships which will be closing our busy year in Japan.
We have got strict financial politics and we have to follow the decisions of our President and Board. We would like to be in the top level in the upcoming two years and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Hosting an ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships would be also wonderful before the Games. I also want deepen friendships between the participating countries through boxing,” said Mr. Hirokuni Moto in the Huamark Indoor Stadium.

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