Takeshi Fuji

Born in 1940, Paul Fujii was a third-generation Japanese-Hawaiian. He was raised in the Territory of Hawaii, graduated from Farrington High School, and served in the United States Marine Corps.{{Cite news |last=Ito |first=Monte |date=August 5, 1968 |title=Films from the Orient |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122954763/films-from-the-orient/ |access-date=2023-04-16 |via=Newspapers.com}}

During his amateur boxing career, Fujii had a record of 116 wins and 16 losses over a total of 132 fights.

Fujii started boxing professionally in April 1964. He traveled to Japan, where he became known as Fuji Takeshi, and joined the boxing gym run by former professional wrestler Rikidōzan. Though he fought in Japan for most of his career, he could not speak Japanese. His trainer, Eddie Townsend, was also a Japanese-American. He made his professional debut in April, 1964 with a 2nd-round KO.

In June, 1965, Fuji challenged the Japanese super lightweight title, and won by KO only 45 seconds into the first round. This was his 11th professional fight, and he defended the title once before returning it. Fuji won the OPBF light welterweight title in 1966.

In April 1967, Fujii challenged Lineal, WBA and WBC light welterweight champion Sandro Lopopolo. Fujii won in an upset victory by KO in the second round to become the new world champion.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jrwelt.htm|title=Takeshi Fuji - Lineal Junior Welterweight Champion|publisher=The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia}} The match was declared a knockout victory for Fujii after he had knocked down Lopopolo three times in the same round, according to pre-agreed rules.{{Cite news |last=Nakashima |first=Leslie |date=May 1, 1967 |title=Fujii Wins World Title on Knockout |page=B-6 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123017880/fujii-wins-world-title-on-knockout/ |access-date=2023-04-17}} In October 1967, Sports Illustrated noted that at the time, Fujii was one of only two world champions recognized by the WBA who was a native of the United States; the other nine were from other countries.{{Cite magazine|last=Johnson |first=William |date=October 9, 1967 |title=The Riddle of the Jolly Do-gooders |volume=27 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |issue=15 |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=54027735&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-04-17 |via=EBSCOHost}}

Fujii successfully defended his world junior welterweight title in November 1967, after knocking out Willy Quatuor of West Germany.{{Cite news |date=November 17, 1967 |title=Fights Last Night |work=The Daily Home News |location=Brunswick, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123018734/fights-last-night/ |access-date=2023-04-17 |via=Newspapers.com}} In December, 1968, he faced Nicolino Locche to defend his WBA light welterweight title, but gave up in the 10th round.

In June, 1970, Fujii was scheduled to face former world champion Eddie Perkins in a non-title match, but suddenly withdrew from the fight claiming to have an injury. The Japan Boxing Commission penalized Fujii with a suspension, and he retired shortly afterwards. His record was 34-3-1 (29KOs).

In 1999, Fujii was inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite news |date=February 4, 1999 |title=Hawaii Hall of Fame adding 22 – Among the honored are Olympians, world champs |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123018805/hawaii-hall-of-fame-adding-22/ |access-date=2023-04-17 |via=Newspapers.com}} Fujii's record as the undisputed world champion in the 140-pound (63.5 kg) class in 1968 was not repeated until 2001, when Russian Australian Kostya Tszyu claimed the IBF, WBA, and WBC titles.{{Cite news |last=Lusetich |first=Robert |date=November 8, 2001 |title=WBC praises referee for stopping Kostya's fight |work=The Australian |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=200111081016517049&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-04-17 |via=EBSCOHost}}

{{BoxingRecordSummary

|draws=1

|nc=

|ko-wins=29

|ko-losses=2

|dec-wins=5

|dec-losses=1

|dq-wins=

|dq-losses=

}}

• WBA light welterweight champion (140 lbs)
• WBC light welterweight champion (140 lbs)

• The Ring light welterweight champion (140 lbs)

• Japanese light welterweight champion (140 lbs)
• OPBF light welterweight champion (140 lbs)

• Undisputed light welterweight champion

Paul Fujii starred in a feature-length film playing himself called The Story of Paul Fujii, which was released in 1968.{{Cite news |date=August 4, 1968 |title=Fujii Story Has 'Appeal' |work=The Sunday Star Bulletin & Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122954999/fujii-story-has-appeal/ |access-date=2023-04-16 |via=Newspapers.com}}

After retiring as a professional boxer, Fujii returned to Hawaii.{{Cite news |date=August 28, 2015 |title=ハンマーパンチ藤猛氏、再び日本リングに |language=Japanese |work=Daily Sports |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2015/08/28/0008345331.shtml |access-date=2023-04-17}} In 1996, he moved back to Japan, briefly serving as chairman of the Iwaki Kyōei Gym. He went on to teach boxing mainly to children in Mito, Ibaraki, until the gym went bankrupt in June 2015.

In August 2015, Fujii registered as a special trainer at a gym in Ōta, Tokyo. At the time, his wife and two of his children were living in Hawaii, while his eldest son's family lived in Japan.

• Lineal championship
• Boxing in Japan
• List of Japanese boxing world champions
• List of world light-welterweight boxing champions

{{Reflist}}

• {{Boxrec|id=35411}}
• [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/paulfuji.htm Takeshi Fuji - CBZ Profile]
• [https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675073284_Worlds-Junior-Welterweight-boxing_Paul-Takeshi-Fuji_Sandro-Lopopolo_spectators-cheer Paul Takeshi Fuji vs. Sandro Lopopolo] (video clip)

{{s-start}}

{{s-sports}}

{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=Regional boxing titles}}

|-

{{s-vac|last=Koji Okano}}

{{s-ttl|title=Japanese light welterweight champion

|years=June 18, 1965 – 1967
Vacated}}

{{s-vac|next=Shigeru Ogiwara}}

{{s-bef|before=Rocky Alarde}}

{{s-ttl|title=OPBF light welterweight champion

|years=September 29, 1966 – 1967
Vacated}}

{{s-vac|next=Larry Flaviano}}

{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=World boxing titles}}

{{s-bef|rows=4|before=Sandro Lopopolo}}

{{s-ttl|title=WBA light welterweight champion

|years=April 30, 1967 – December 12, 1968}}

{{s-aft|after=Nicolino Locche}}

{{s-ttl|title=WBC light welterweight champion

|years=April 30, 1967 – November 14, 1968
Stripped}}

{{s-vac|next=Pedro Adigue}}

|-

{{s-ttl|title=The Ring light welterweight champion

|years=April 30, 1967 – December 12, 1968}}

{{s-aft|after=Nicolino Locche}}

{{s-ttl|title=Undisputed light welterweight champion

|years=April 30, 1967 – November 14, 1968
Titles fragmented}}

{{s-vac|next=Kostya Tszyu}}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuji, Takeshi}}

Category:1940 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male boxers

Category:Boxers from Hawaii

Category:Martial artists from Honolulu

Category:American expatriates in Japan

Category:American sportspeople of Japanese descent

Category:United States Marines

Category:World Boxing Association champions

Category:World Boxing Council champions

Category:The Ring (magazine) champions

Category:World light-welterweight boxing champions

Category:20th-century American sportsmen