JB Sports Gym (JB スポーツ ジム, JB Supōtsu Jimu) is a gym created and owned by Hajime no Ippo author, Jōji Morikawa.
The author rarely visits, being once a month or sometimes less, or when there's a boxing match involved which he acts as a second.
The design is similar to the Kamogawa Boxing Gym in the series, even having the Statue of Takamura on the roof.
Introduction
Since 1994.
JB Sports Gym offers 4 classes for Men's & Pro class, Kids & Junior class, Ladies' class, and Senior class. It also hosts "Team Kurofune" (or Black Ship) Kettle Bell Seminars and heart geared training lead by the head trainer, Yamada Takeshi.
The first floor has a gym with a boxing ring that is the same size found in Kōrakuen Hall, located in front of reception area. Stairs that lead to the second floor, area in the back for men locker room and rest area. On the 2nd floor, area for punching bags, stationary bike, weight room, women's locker room and rest room, and stairs to the roof.
The gym also sells some Hajime no Ippo related merchandise like T-shirts, key chains, towels, and other sorted objects.
Hours of Operation
Note: Hours may change if there is a gym member's boxing match.
| Hours of Gym Operation | |
|---|---|
| Days of the Week | Hours Open |
| Monday ~ Friday: | PM 14 to 22 |
| Saturday: | PM 14 to 20 |
| Sundays (and Holidays) |
Closed |
| For Sightseeing Visit During: |
PM 16 to 19 |
Members of the Boxing Gym
Staff
| Current Staff | |
|---|---|
  |
  |
| George Morikawa Owner |
Yamada Takeshi[1] (山田武士さん) Head Trainer [2] |
| Takuya Yamaguchi Trainer[3] |
Rie Takahashi (高橋里枝) Manager[4] |
| Ryusuke Takahashi Trainer[5] |
|
| Past Known Staff | |
| Takahashi Naoto Former Coach |
Yamaguchi Yuji ( 山口裕司) Trainer[6] |
| Kobayashi (小林) Trainer[7] |
Tomohisa Shinoda (篠田朋恒さん) Trainer[8] |
| Tomoyuki Kubota (久保田智之) Trainer[9] |
|
Current Pro Boxers
| Current Pro Boxers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Class A Boxers License | ||
  |
  |
  |
| Tamura Ryoichi[10] (田村亮一) Former JBC Super Bantamweight Champion[11] |
Kyosuke Sawada[12] (澤田京介) |
Takuya Yamaguchi[13] (山口卓也) |
  |
  |
|
| Takahiro Araki[14] (荒木貴裕) |
Kenya Yamashita[15] (山下賢哉) |
|
| Class B Boxers License | ||
  |
  |
  |
| Okada Masatora[16] (岡田将人) |
Shintomi Ryō[17] (新冨凌) |
Hanamori Seigo[18] (花森成吾) |
| Class C Boxers License | ||
  |
  |
  |
| Watabe Hiroto[19] (渡部浩人) |
Takahiro Nakatsuka[20] (中塚貴大) |
Kanta Honma[21] (本間寛太) |
  |
||
| Shogo Namiki (並木翔冴) |
||
Note: In order to box professionally in Japan, a person is required to have a Boxing License issued by the governing body (JBC), where a person needs to pass two tests. A written test to prove they know the rules and understand the sport, and a spar with headgear on to prove that they can box and they can take the skills into the ring.
Class C License means the Boxer is allowed to fight in 4 Round matches against other Class C Boxers like for the Rookie King Tournament(全日本新人王), Class B License means the Boxer is allowed to fight in 6 Round matches against other Class B Boxers (usually Boxers with an Amateur background start here), and Class A License means the boxer is now allowed to fight in 8 Round matches against other Class A Boxers like for the Class A Tournament(最強後楽園).
Past Boxers
| Former Pro Boxers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fukushima Manabu
[22] |
Yusuke Takeuchi[23] (竹内佑典) |
Yuki Yamazaki[24] |
| Ryusuke Takahashi[25] (高橋 隆介) |
Kyohei Kudo[26] (工藤 恭平) |
Hiroshi Yamaguchi[27] (山口 裕司) |
| Tosue Suga[28] (須賀 寿江) |
||
Boxer Related Information
Fukushima Manabu vs Oscar Larious match poster
- On February 14, 2000, Fukushima Manabu became the Super Bantamweight JBC Champion after defeating Yutaka Manabe. He lost the belt in his 2nd title defense to Setsuo Segawa on July 15, 2000.
- On August 24, 2002, Fukushima fought Oscar Larios for the Super Bantamweight Interim WBC Title, but he ended up losing in the 8th Round by TKO.
- The cost for the match was paid by Morikawa and Weekly Shōnen Magazine. WSM did a double page spread feature advertising the match.
- On April 26, 2003, He became OPBF Champion by defeating Jae Kwang Jung for the vacant title. However, Fukushima lost his first defence match to Pederito Laurente in 12 round decision on August 16, 2003.
- On June 4, 2005, he was scheduled to fight against Vladimir Sidrenko for the WBA Bantamweight title, but the match was postponed due to Sidrenko having a right thumb fracture.
- The match was rescheduled for October 15, 2005, but the match was canceled instead due to Fukushima rupturing his right calf muscle.
- After losing his match to Nobuto Ikehara on May 5, 2007, Fukushima transferred gyms to Hanagata Boxing Gym, where he changed his ring name to Fukushima (福島). However, after losing a match under the name, he changed his name back to his original name.
- On January 12, 2019, Tamura Ryoichi became the JBC Super Bantamweight Champion. He fought for the vacant title against Mugicha Nakagawa (武田勇太).
- It was the first time in 19 years, that JB Sports Gym had a boxer when the JBC title.
- On May 18, 2019, Tamura Ryoichi lost his title to Yusaku Kuga in decision.[29]
- Boxer Tamura Ryoichi appeared in a Nintendo Switch Commercial for Fit Boxing.
- On October 26, 2019, Kyosuke Sawada managed to defeat Kazuki Tanaka in the Strongest Challenger Tournament (Class A Tournament)[30], which secured him a spot in the Champion Carnival in 2020 with a Japanese Bantamweight title fight against the current champion Yusuke Suzuki. Yusuke Suzuki was previously one of two boxers that had defeated Sawada early in his career.
- The win was Sawada 14th straight win after losing his first two matches.
- On November 30, 2019, Tamura Ryoichi won the Super Bantamweight OPBF Silver title by defeating Moensaku Yor at Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan.
- Prior to the match, JB Sport boxers' Watabe Hiroto and Hanamori Seigo won their matches for it.
- Hajime no Ippo was used to promote the match in order to promote Pro Boxing in Taiwan since it is licensed in Taiwan as The Fighting (第一神拳).
- The entire match was stream for free online, where you can see Morikawa act as a 2nd during his boxers matches.
JB Sports Related References
References In Hajime no Ippo
- In Volume 43, Morikawa included two pages of him working as a second for Fukushima Manabu.
- There is a life size statue of Takamura on the roof similar to Kamogawa's Gym.
- Morikawa been known to base some character's names off of some boxers from JB Sports. Itagaki Manabu is based on Fukushima Manabu.
- Fukushima Manabu also appears in a boxing magazine where he went against Yukapon Kishida.[31]
- He appeared later on a match poster of Execution going against Umetsu Masahiko.[32]
- Takahashi Naoto, former pro-boxer, who Miyata Ichirō is based on and friends with Morikawa, was the first coach for JB Sports, but later leaving the position in 2007.
- Morikawa has placed "JB Sports Club" through out the story, and he even advertised the gym on some chapter cover pages.
Round 1218 Fight Order
- In Chapter 1218, Hanamori Seigo and Shintomi Ryō names appeared in the series listed from BJ Gym. Both are boxers from the JB Sports Gym.
- The Kawahara Boxing Gym member Nakatsuka is based on Takahiro Nakatsuka, with the same surname and similar appearance. The "Monkey" shirt Nakatsuka wears is a reference to the real life Nakatsuka's association with monkeys and boxing, calling himself the "Monkey Boxer."[33]
References in Other Media
JB Sports Gym in Mou Shimasen Kara
- In File 148 of Mou, Shimasen Kara manga, JB Sports Gym appears in it. Mou Shimasen Kara is a manga done by a former assistant of Morikawa, Nishimoto Hideo.
- JB Sports Gym appeared in Chapter 103 and Chapter 104 of GTO Paradise Lost, where a sparring match is taken placed.
JB Sports Gym in Fake Affair - Episode 04
- The Charisma Brothers and Fischer's -フィッシャーズ- Youtubers made a short real life Hajime no Ippo film in 2016, where they filmed live-action scene taken from a character's point of view. Part of it was film at JB Sport.
- JB Sports Gym appeared in Episode 4 of Fake Affair (偽装不倫) or Gisou Furin, a Japanese Drama based on the manga with the same name. A character in the series is a boxer, and he is seen at JB Sport Gym training in the episode. However, the gym name was changed to Toyokuni Boxing Gym (豊国ボクシングジム).
- Youtuber Sushi Ramen (Riku) visited JB Sports Gym for an experiment with boxer Kenya Yamashita, to see if a Japanese health food product was able to blunt a boxer's punch.
Gallery
Trivia
- Morikawa's gym was originally called JB Sports Club (JBスポーツクラブ), but changed the name over to JB Sports Boxing Gym.
- For Hajime no Ippo's 20th anniversary in 2009[34], as part of a special project and in order to attract younger people to boxing. Morikawa offered:
- Chairman George Morikawa fully paid the admission fee of 15,000 yen and the monthly fee for debut (12,000 yen per month) - Total 160,00 Yen (or $1500)!
- For their debut match, George Morikawa would act as their 2nd (which he only does part of the time.)
- He will continue to support the boxer that had excellent results, and he would fully backed them up the path to Japanese champions and world champions (where he would actively making title matches.)
- The person has a chance to appear in the series.
- Ippo vs. Joe simulation took place at JB Sports Gym.
- Dangan Boxing Promotions and Rizin (MMA) is set to use Hajime no Ippo themed tape during official matches in 2019.
JB Sports in Joshin ad
- To help honour Hajime no Ippo's 30 year mark, Joshin stores collaborated with Morikawa from 2/8/2019 to 3/3/2019 in a promotion. In the weekly flyer ad for Joshin, it showcased JB Sports Gym with having various boxers appear in it.
- On April 24, 2019[35], Morikawa announced at JB Sports that he was sponsoring a Class A Tournament with Dangan Promotion for Featherweights as part of his 30th year anniversary. The winner of the tournament will win 1 million yen prize, and an appearance in the Hajime no Ippo story. For details, see Featherweight Tournament.
External Links
Website: https://www.jbboxing.com/
Old Website: http://jbsports.jp/index.html
JB Sports Twitter: https://twitter.com/JBSPORTSGYM/
JB Sports Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJEVCtzl13Wq8_cdm__FXA
On-line Store: https://hajimenoippo.thebase.in/