Día de BOXEO ボクシングの日

今日は、1952年のこの5月19日に挑戦者・白井義男が世界フライ級チャンピオンのダド・マリノに判定勝ちし、日本初のボクシングの世界チャンピオンになったことを記念して､ボクシングの日なのだそうです。

白井 義男（Shirai Yoshio、1923年11月23日 - 2003年12月26日）

白井義男は小学6年生時の夜祭りの余興で行ったカンガルーとのボクシングに負けて以後、ボクシングにのめり込んだのだそうです。プロ・デビューは戦時下の1943年でした。8戦全勝の成績を残しましたが招集されて海軍に従軍し、整備士として終戦を迎えました。復員後、ボクシング界へ復帰したものの海軍時代に特攻機を整備した際の労災により腰痛となり、引退寸前の危機に追い込まれてしまいました。しかしそのころジムに出入りしていたGHQ職員の生物学者アルビン・R・カーン博士に見出され、その全面的な支援の元にその素質を開花させていきました。

カーン博士の指導の下、栄養豊かな食事を与えられ健康管理を徹底し、長い手足と運動神経を活かした防御主体のよりテクニカルなスタイルに矯正したことで白井 義男のボクシングは息を吹き返し、1952年の今日、5月19日にダド・マリノ（アメリカ合州国）との世界タイトルマッチに勝利し王座を獲得しました。以後4度の防衛を果たしました。敗戦に打ちひしがれた日本人にとって、白井 義男の王者獲得とその後の防衛での活躍は"希望の光"となったのです。

Shirai Yoshio (白井 義男, November 23, 1923 – December 26, 2003) was a professional boxer from Tokyo, Japan. He won the world flyweight title on May 19, 1952, becoming the first Japanese boxer to win a world title.

Shirai first boxed in elementary school, during a mock match-up against a kangaroo at a local carnival. He became interested in boxing afterwards, and made his professional debut in 1943, during World War II. He won his first eight professional fights before being drafted to join the Imperial Japanese Navy. After being released in 1945, he returned to boxing, but was almost forced into retirement because of injuries he had sustained during the war. However, he met Alvin Rober Cahn, a Jewish-American SCAP employee, who became his trainer and manager. Shirai's boxing skills improved dramatically under Cahn's guidance, and the two formed a close bond.

Shirai fought with the aggressive boxing style typical of the Japanese boxers of the time, but made a change to a more technical, defensive style under the guidance of his new trainer. Cahn made Shirai live in his house, and supervised everything from his health and training to his meals. Cahn began to suffer from dementia in his old age, and it was Shirai's family that took care of him. Cahn had no children when he died, and left Shirai with his entire fortune.

Shirai won his first fight after teaming with Cahn on July 30, 1948, and won the Japanese flyweight title in 1949. He also won the Japanese bantamweight title the same year, and held both titles for over 3 years, making 5 total defenses.

He fought flyweight world champion Dado Marino on May 21, 1951, in a non-title match. Shirai lost by split decision but fought Marino again in December, 1951, to mark a 7th round KO win. On May 19, 1952, he met Marino for the third time for the world flyweight title. Shirai won by 15 round decision, becoming the new world champion, and first ever Japanese boxer to win a world title.


Shirai made four defenses of the world title before losing his title to Pascual Perez in November, 1954 by unanimous decision. He fought Perez again in May, 1955, but lost decisively by KO in the 5th round. He announced his retirement after this loss. His professional record was 48-8-2 (20KOs).

Shirai worked as a boxing commentator and critic before creating a sports gym in 1995 with former world champion Yoko Gushiken. He received an award from the Japanese government in 1995 for his efforts in the boxing world. He was inducted into the Ring Magazine hall of fame in 1977.

Shirai died from pneumonia on December 26, 2003. He was 80 years old.

ご意見、ご質問等ございましたら、

 <ernestotaju@yahoo.co.jp>  へ。

【送料無料】日本ボクシング不滅の激闘史 [ 白井義男 ] 価格：17,010円（税込、送料込）

【送料無料】ボクシング 栄光のタイトルマッチ 2012年 7/11号 [雑誌] 価格：680円（税込、送料込）