January 23, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-Ex-WBA 130-pound and 135-pound champ Takanori Hatakeyama, just 26, officially announced his retirement from the ring. His overall record was 24-2-3, 19 KOs.
Hatakeyama, an aggressive boxer-puncher, captured the WBA 130-pound title by beating Korean Yongsoo Choi on points in September, 1998, kept it once and forfeited it Mongolian Lakva Sim via 5th round TKO in June of the next year. He temporarily retired from the squared circle, but abruptly returned to action.
Hatakeyama fought his first comebacking fight, though severely criticized, against the WBA 135-pound champ Gilberto Serrano, Venezuela, whom he impressively dropped time and again en route to a fine 8th round KO in June, 2000. The Japanese star successfully retained his second world throne twice by a 10th round knockout over left-hooking compatriot Hiroyuki Sakamoto and a hard-battled draw with Rick Yoshimura, a US military worker, to his credit.
But Hatakeyama lost the WBA crown to Frenchman Julien Lorcy by a unanimous verdict in Saitama on July 1 of the previous year.
Hatakeyama, a good talker, is a unique personality, who often appears on TV and recently entered a university in his native Aomori prefecture.
The ex-champ said, “I would like to prepare for my second life after this retirement. I will not fight again, but hope to coach and cultivate young boys in the future.” Good luck.