Eddie Townsend
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Edward "Eddie" Townsend (October 5, 1914 – February 1, 1988) was an American professional boxing trainer. He is revered in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
for training several boxing world champions. An award given to boxing trainers was established in his honor and a boxing gym in
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, bears his name.


Biography

Townsend was born to a Japanese mother and an American father in
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
,
Territory of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territories of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from Apri ...
. His mother lived in
Yamaguchi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 Square kilometre, km2 (2,359 Square mile, sq mi). ...
, before immigrating to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and his father worked as a lawyer. He began boxing at age 14 and was undefeated in 12 fights as a professional, before losing his 13th bout the day before the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...
(December 6, 1941). Townsend's American friends quickly deserted him after learning that he was half Japanese and Townsend decided to end his professional career to become a trainer. Townsend first traveled to
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
in 1962 at the invitation of Japanese professional wrestler
Rikidōzan (born Kim Sin-rak; ; November 14, 1924 – December 15, 1963), better known as Rikidōzan (), was a Korean-born Japanese wrestler who competed in sumo and professional wrestling. He was known as The Father of Puroresu (professional wrestling ...
, who wanted Townsend to teach boxing at the Rikigym. However, this did not last for long, as Rikidōzan was fatally stabbed in December, 1963. Coincidentally, the stabbing took place on the anniversary day of the attack on
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...
. Shortly after Rikidōzan's death, Townsend was reunited with third-generation Japanese American boxer,
Takeshi Fuji Takeshi Fuji (藤猛, born Paul Takeshi Fujii on July 6, 1940) is a Hawaiian-born Japanese former professional boxer. He is a former Undisputed, WBA and WBC super lightweight (light welterweight) champion. Early life and education Born in 1 ...
, who had been friends with Townsend in
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
. He became Fuji's trainer and his name first became known in the Japanese boxing world when Fuji became world champion in 1967. Townsend went on to single-handedly train a total of six world champions, along with numerous other regional title-holders. Both his skill as a trainer and his amicable personality made him the most respected trainer in Japanese boxing. Townsend's final trainee was
Hiroki Ioka is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1986 to 1999. He has held world championships in two weight classes, having held the WBC mini-flyweight title from 1987 to 1988, and the WBA light-flyweight title from 1991 to 1992. He ...
, who captured the WBC
minimumweight Mini flyweight, also known as paperweight, minimumweight, strawweight, or super atomweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In professional boxing, boxers in the minimumweight division may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new ...
title on October 18, 1987. By this time, Townsend was suffering from
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
and had to look on from a wheelchair as Ioka trained for his first title defense. Townsend was determined to see Ioka make his first defense, and entered the arena with Ioka on a hospital bed. However, his condition seriously worsened before the start of the match and had to be rushed back to the hospital immediately. He died shortly after hearing that Ioka had won by 12th-round TKO.


Legacy

Townsend remains one of the most famous trainers in Japanese boxing history, and the Eddie Townsend Award was established in his honor in 1990. The award is given each year to the trainer that has contributed the most to Japanese boxing. The Eddie Townsend Gym was founded in
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, and a memorial statue was erected in Shirahama, Wakayama, which was said to be Townsend's favorite place to visit in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. A play titled ''EDDIE'' was written in his honor, and is often performed in Japanese schools.


World champions trained by Eddie Townsend

*
Takeshi Fuji Takeshi Fuji (藤猛, born Paul Takeshi Fujii on July 6, 1940) is a Hawaiian-born Japanese former professional boxer. He is a former Undisputed, WBA and WBC super lightweight (light welterweight) champion. Early life and education Born in 1 ...
*
Hiroyuki Ebihara was a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1959 to 1969. He held the WBA, WBC, and '' The Ring'' flyweight titles from 1963 to 1964 and the WBA flyweight title again in 1969. Yuri Arbachakov used the ring name Yuri Ebihara in h ...
*
Kuniaki Shibata Kuniaki Shibata (柴田 国明, born March 29, 1947, in Hitachi, Japan) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1977. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC and ''The Ring'' featherweight ti ...
*
Guts Ishimatsu , better known as is a Japanese actor, comedian, tarento and former professional boxer who competed in the Lightweight division from 1966 to 1978. He is a one-time former WBC Lightweight Champion and an OPBF Lightweight Champion. As a boxer, h ...
* Tadashi Tomori *
Hiroki Ioka is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1986 to 1999. He has held world championships in two weight classes, having held the WBC mini-flyweight title from 1987 to 1988, and the WBA light-flyweight title from 1991 to 1992. He ...


References


External links


The Eddie Townsend Memorial creation ceremony
{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Eddie 1914 births 1988 deaths American boxing trainers Sportspeople from Honolulu American sportspeople of Japanese descent