(24 January 1934 - 9 May 2016) is often credited for creating the sport and the term
kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, gen ...
.
Biography
Osamu Noguchi family moved to
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
in 1938 at the invitation of
Yoshio Kodama, Noguchi spent his childhood being entertained by Japanese jazz singer
Dick Mine in nightclubs run by his father
Susumu Noguchi. When the Japanese were defeated in the
Pacific War, the Noguchi family were repatriated back to Japan.
After Osamu Noguchi graduated Meiji University, he became the manager of Noguchi Boxing Gym which was owned by his father
Susumu Noguchi, and worked as a boxing promoter. In 1961, Noguchi became the owner of Noguchi Gym after his father died, and also promoted his younger brother
Kyō Noguchi
Kyō Noguchi (June 14, 1939January 1, 2009) is a Japanese former professional boxer who was best known for winning the Japanese flyweight title and fighting for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title.
Professional career
On Apri ...
's boxing matches on television with NET (Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd, now
TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as (also known as EX and and stylized as TV asahi), is a television station that is owned and operated by the subsidiary of certified broadcasting holding company , itself controlled by The Asahi Shimbun Com ...
). However, Noguchi was arrested for matchfixing of world title fights, and was backlisted from the boxing promotion in Japan, including being cut off from his contract with NET.
In 1964 Osamu Noguchi and
Tatsuo Yamada
was a Japanese actor best known for the protagonist of Sōgo Ishii's 1980 film '' Crazy Thunder Road''.
Filmography
* '' Crazy Thunder Road'' (1980)
* ''Yokohama BJ Blues'' (1981)
* ''Welter'' (1987)
* '' Evil Dead Trap 3: Broken Love Killer'' ...
organised a 3-on-3 competition of
Kyokushin Karate vs
Muay Thai
Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterise ...
competition with
Tadashi Nakamura,
Kenji Kurosaki and
Tadashi Sawamura being the representatives for Karate and defeating their Muay Thai opponents at the
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium ( th, สนามเวทีมวยลุมพินี) is a sporting arena in Bangkok, Thailand. The stadium is named after Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Opened more than a decade later than Rajadamner ...
in Thailand. This would be the basis of what would be popularly known as the sport of Kickboxing and established the Japan Kickboxing Association.
In 1970 under the guidance of
Yoko Yamaguchi persuaded Noguchi to sign
Hiroshi Itsuki as a singer with great success.
In October 1972, Noguchi opened a Kickboxing gym on
Ratchadamri Road which sparked a backlash in Thailand. In 1976 Noguchi, founded th
World Kickboxing Association (WKBA)
On 9 May 2016, Noguchi died.
Popular culture
Osamu Noguchi appears as character in the anime
Kick no Oni an animated cartoon based on the life of the kickboxer
Tadashi Sawamura.
References
1934 births
2016 deaths
People from Bunkyō
Kickboxing executives
People from Tokyo
Boxing promoters
Meiji University alumni
Kickboxing promoters
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