Masamori Tokuyama
Encyclopedia
is a retired professional boxer
in the super flyweight
(115 lb
) division. His professional record was 32-3-1 (8 KOs
). He is a former WBC
world super flyweight champion.
Because of his affiliation with North Korea
and his experience traveling to the country, he had been banned from entering South Korea
and the United States
. However, he changed his nationality to South Korea
n in February, 2007. He studied Korean language
at Yonsei University
in South Korea in March, 2007.
. He made his professional debut in 1994, and challenged the Japanese Flyweight Title twice in 1997, but was unsuccessful both times. He won the vacant OPBF Super Flyweight Title in 1999, and defended it twice. His first world title match was against South Korean fighter In-Joo Cho
in 2000, whom he beat by unanimous decision over 12 rounds, becoming the first North Korean to win a boxing world title. He defended his WBC Super Flyweight title eight times before suffering a stunning 1st round knockout loss to Katsushige Kawashima
in 2004. Tokuyama returned after a one year lay-off to fight Kawashima on July 18, 2005. Tokuyama was knocked down in the last round, but dominated Kawashima for the rest of the fight, regaining his title by a 3-0 decision. He defended his title on February 27, 2006, beating José Navarro
by unanimous decision. He relinquished his title after this fight and announced his intention to retire from boxing, but later announced that he would continue his career if he could fight Hozumi Hasegawa
for the WBC Bantamweight title. Tokuyama finalized his retirement on March 14, 2007, since Hasegawa declined his challenge for the bantamweight title. Tokuyama cited lack of motivation as the major reason for his retirement.
Tokuyama visited North Korea
in 2001, and reportedly made a statement vowing allegiance to the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il
, thanking the leader for his success as a boxer. In 2002, former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi
made a visit to North Korea, which revealed the kidnappings of several Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s by North Korea. News of the kidnappings received huge media coverage in Japan, and Tokuyama's website was spammed relentlessly with abusive messages when it was rumored that Tokuyama commented: "They (the kidnapped Japanese citizens) might actually be living pretty happily in North Korea."
He has often used the North Korean national anthem as his entrance theme.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in the super flyweight
Super flyweight
Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight...
(115 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
) division. His professional record was 32-3-1 (8 KOs
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
). He is a former WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world super flyweight champion.
Because of his affiliation with North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and his experience traveling to the country, he had been banned from entering South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, he changed his nationality to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n in February, 2007. He studied Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
at Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
in South Korea in March, 2007.
Biography
Tokuyama was born in Tokyo, Japan as a third generation Zainichi KoreanZainichi Korean
Koreans in Japan are the ethnic Korean residents of Japan. They currently constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, who are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan...
. He made his professional debut in 1994, and challenged the Japanese Flyweight Title twice in 1997, but was unsuccessful both times. He won the vacant OPBF Super Flyweight Title in 1999, and defended it twice. His first world title match was against South Korean fighter In-Joo Cho
In-Joo Cho
In-Joo Cho is a former boxer from South Korea.-Amateur career:In 1987, Oh won the gold medal in flyweight at the World Junior Amateur Boxing Championships held in....
in 2000, whom he beat by unanimous decision over 12 rounds, becoming the first North Korean to win a boxing world title. He defended his WBC Super Flyweight title eight times before suffering a stunning 1st round knockout loss to Katsushige Kawashima
Katsushige Kawashima
is a retired professional boxer who fought in the super flyweight division. He is a former WBC super flyweight champion.- Biography :Kawashima joined the boxing gym of former WBC and WBA minimumweight champion Hideyuki Ohashi in 1995, and made his professional debut on February 20, 1997, with a 2nd...
in 2004. Tokuyama returned after a one year lay-off to fight Kawashima on July 18, 2005. Tokuyama was knocked down in the last round, but dominated Kawashima for the rest of the fight, regaining his title by a 3-0 decision. He defended his title on February 27, 2006, beating José Navarro
José Navarro (boxer)
José Navarro is a professional boxer who competes in the Flyweight division. Navarro participated at the Summer Olympics in 2000 in Sydney, Australia. He is of Mexican descent.-Amateur career:...
by unanimous decision. He relinquished his title after this fight and announced his intention to retire from boxing, but later announced that he would continue his career if he could fight Hozumi Hasegawa
Hozumi Hasegawa
is a professional boxer and a former WBC world bantamweight champion and former WBC world Featherweight champion. He received consecutive MVP awards from the Japanese Boxing Commission in 2005 and 2006 for his title defenses, and is the only Japanese boxer to have defended a world bantamweight...
for the WBC Bantamweight title. Tokuyama finalized his retirement on March 14, 2007, since Hasegawa declined his challenge for the bantamweight title. Tokuyama cited lack of motivation as the major reason for his retirement.
Tokuyama and North Korea
Zainichi Koreans either tried to conceal their roots by adopting Japanese names, or only used their real names to show that they were Korean. However, Tokuyama did neither, using both his Japanese name (Masamori Tokuyama) and real name (Chang-soo Hong), while declaring that he is a Zainichi Korean. He has often taken politics inside the ring, carrying a North Korean flag in his entrances and wearing trunks labeled "One Korea." Many of Tokuyama's fans regard his performances as the emergence of a new generation of Zainichi Koreans, who are not afraid of their heritage, while others negatively view Tokuyama as using sports to promote a political agenda.Tokuyama visited North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
in 2001, and reportedly made a statement vowing allegiance to the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
, thanking the leader for his success as a boxer. In 2002, former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
made a visit to North Korea, which revealed the kidnappings of several Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s by North Korea. News of the kidnappings received huge media coverage in Japan, and Tokuyama's website was spammed relentlessly with abusive messages when it was rumored that Tokuyama commented: "They (the kidnapped Japanese citizens) might actually be living pretty happily in North Korea."
He has often used the North Korean national anthem as his entrance theme.