Boxing clever
Justin Footit, boxer turned trainer

Such well-known images: life-sized punching bags, efficient speed balls, gloves, headgear and of course the centre stage and platform for it all, the ring. Boxing — the sport owes much of this image and interest to the movie community, icons like Mohammed Ali and of course the sheer, bloody-minded tenacity of the boxers themselves.

“It's a very scientific sport” says Australian boxer turned trainer, Justin Footit. Footit has been involved in boxing for 15 years. He has won various titles including the prestigious President's cup of Indonesia in 1997 which is the most satisfying of his career because “When representing your country, this is the highest accolade”.

1997 should have been a great year for Footit, he had won a major competition as well as various others and was eyeing the next Olympics. A back injury, however, forced the promising participant into early retirement.

Undeterred by his injury and realising he “still had a lot to give and get from the sport” Footit took up a Coaching position within the Australian national boxing team. He has since worked in Thailand, France and Japan working alongside several former and current world champions. “Working the corner of title fights is very satisfying”.

If the parents of Tatsuya Ikemizu are look-ing to turn their 12 year old into a world class boxer, they are certainly on the right track. Ikemizu is “without a doubt, champion mate-rial” asserts Footit who cannot say enough about the youngster whom he is currently training. “I won't be surprised if Tatsuya will be a champion someday … He has great skills, talent and natural ability”.

Add to that, the fact that Ikemizu is training at one of the finest institutions in Japan and the future bodes well for him. Ikemizu is one of many students who trains at Osaka Teiken Boxing Gym in Kyo-bashi, a boxing gym well known throughout Japan, and the training base of Japan's most famous boxer, three-time WBC bantam weight champion of the world, Joichiro Tatsuyoshi.

“Tatsuyoshi's many fans have been known to come to the gym bearing gifts — often his fans aren't even from Osaka”.

Osaka Teiken Boxing gym's owner Hiroshi Yoshii tells me about the gym's 40-year history. “My father loved boxing … We used to have a special dormitory in our house set aside for boxers to use. There were all kinds of boxing gear spread throughout the house”.

It must have pleased Yoshii's mother when his father decided to build an actual facility so that gloves, headgear and the like could finally live in their proper domain.

Yoshii was two years old when the original Osaka Teiken Boxing gym was built. Like his father, Hiroshi Yoshii is passionate about boxing and has been involved with boxing and its business side for many years. Yoshii is well aware that things have changed since the days his father built the gym.

Women are getting involved in boxing more and more and there are more foreigners in Japan interested in boxing. And so the message is all who want to learn and/ or further train in boxing are welcome at Osaka Teiken Boxing gym.

Footit is one of six trainers at the gym — the only non-Japanese trainer. Yoshii sees Footit's role within the place as “very impor-tant” given his skills and experience and for foreigners who may have limited Japanese.

Having never boxed myself I ask Footit what the benefits of boxing are. He is quick to reel off a list that includes “it builds fitness, is good for body conditioning, stamina and on the non-physical side of things it helps boost self-confidence”. Footit jokingly admits that growing up watching Rocky Balboa vie for victory was enough to send him off in search of a boxing gym. Clearly a decision he doesn't regret but moreover admits “boxing's in my blood … I'll be involved with it forever”.

Text: Renee Karena Photos: Osaka Teiken