February 7, 2007
OSAKA, JAPAN
Japanese promoter Hiroaki Tsuda, the founder of Green Tsuda Promotions, 62, passed away because of pneumonia on Monday (February 5) in Osaka, Japan. Tsuda produced a couple of world champions in WBC 105-pound and WBA 108-pound champ Hiroki Ioka and WBA light-fly titlist Keiji Yamaguchi, having promoted some twenty world title bouts.
Tsuda, formerly a taxi driver who had little experience as trainer, made his home a small boxing gym to cultivate a tremendously popular boxer named Hidekazu Akai (now a famous and successful movie star) who later had an unsuccessful crack at the WBC 140-pound belt against Bruce Curry in 1983. It was Tsuda’s first world title promotion. Tsuda, a very aggressive impresario, next produced an 18-year-old champ Hiroki Ioka, who acquired the very first WBC 105-pound championship by defeating Mai Thomburifarm on points in 1987. Ioka lost his belt to Napa Kiatwanchai next year, and moved up to the 108-pound division to upset previously unbeaten Myungwoo Yuh, making his 18th defense, to win the WBA belt in 1991. Ioka, after two successful defenses, yielded it back to Yuh in a rematch next year.
Tsuda tried and tried to make Ioka, a tall and lanky boxer, the first Asian that would win three titles in as many categories, but in vain. Tsuda promoted Ioka’s ambitious shots at world flyweight champs such as David Griman, Sean Sor Ploenchit and Jose Bonilla and had Ioka attempt to acquire the WBA super-fly ruler from Satoshi Iida, but all failed unfortunately. Ironically Ioka’s last performance was a fifth-round TKO defeat by Masamori Tokuyama, a future WBC 115-pound champ, whom Tsuda traded to Kanazawa Gym as he disliked Tokuyama’s drinking habit.
Tsuda next cultivated Keiji Yamaguchi, who captured the WBA 108-pound belt by outspeeding Panamanian Carlos Murillo via unanimous nod in 1996, but Yamaguchi lost his belt to Thailander Pichit Cho Siriwat by a second round TKO that year.
Tsuda suffered a brain hemorrhage in 1998 and his left-side body became paralyzed since. He covered his Promotion’s shows as he came to arenas by using a wheel chair. The promoter again sustained a cerebral hemorrhage in 2005, and became unconscious since. His condition abruptly became deteriorated at hospital and passed away. Former WBA 108-pound champ Koki Kameda, now a most popular Japanese ringman, once belonged to Green Tsuda Promotion, having fought his first seven pro bouts under Tsuda. Tsuda produced two world champs, three OPBF kingpins and nine Japanese national titlists to his credit.
The Green Tsuda Promotion is now succeeded by Takanobu Totsuka, who now handles WBC interim 105-pound champ Katsunari Takayama. There are many prospects such as world-rated Hiroyuki Hisataka, Yuki Nasu, OPBF welter champ Taisei Marumoto and ex-world challenger Hidenobu Honda under the promotion.
Some 500 people were in attendance at his funeral service at Butsugen Temple in Osaka. We pray his soul may rest in peace.
(2-7-07)