Katsunari Takayama is a Japanese professional boxer.
15 Facts About Katsunari Takayama
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Katsunari Takayama is a five-time mini-flyweight world champion, having held the WBC title in 2005, the IBF title twice between 2013 and 2015, and the WBO title twice between 2014 and 2017.
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Katsunari Takayama retired as a professional in 2017, as WBO world champion, to focus on participation in the 2020 Olympics, but returned in 2020 after failing to qualify.
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Katsunari Takayama started playing rugby and athletics, but did not last long.
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Katsunari Takayama got another world title shot on July 14,2009.
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Katsunari Takayama retired as a JBC-licensed boxer to fight for the WBO and IBF's titles in late 2009.
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Katsunari Takayama then trained at his fellow boxer Ken'ichi Yamaguchi's Osaka Tenjin Boxing Gym in Japan and ALA Boxing Gym in the Philippines, and was promoted by ALA Promotions since April 2010.
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Katsunari Takayama won an IBF minimumweight title eliminator via a sixth round technical knockout at the Carnival City in Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa in September 2010.
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Katsunari Takayama challenged Nkosinathi Joyi for that title at the Carnival City on January 29,2011 after being postponed twice, but the fight ended in a no-contest due to a cut on Takayama's head after an accidental head-butt in the third round.
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Katsunari Takayama had a broken right hand since just before the fight.
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Katsunari Takayama rematched Joyi at the Orient Theatre in East London, Eastern Cape after postponed four times on March 30,2012.
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Katsunari Takayama fought against Filipino Mateo Handig for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific mini flyweight title and the mandatory challenger status to the IBF mini flyweight title in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines on October 13,2012.
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Katsunari Takayama was the first foreign boxer for ALA Promotions, and became the third ever world champion for them.
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Katsunari Takayama tried to imitate the Ali shuffle during the fight.
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Katsunari Takayama registered with Nakazato Boxing Gym to defend his title against Vergilio Silvano via a unanimous decision at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka on December 3,2013.