By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
The funeral service system in Japan has lately changed when so-called celebrities should pass away. A private funeral service is held only with his family and relatives. And then an owakare-no-kai (farewell ceremony) takes places at some big funeral hall after months so that many people may mourn the passing together. Former world lightweight champion Guts Ishimatsu Suzuki died at seventy-six years of age this past June 2. It was at the Korakuen Hall (our regular boxing venue) that his farewell ceremony was held before estimated six hundred persons (friends, boxing fans and boxing people as well).
Guts Ishimatsu became an actor after he hung up gloves for good in 1978. Not only boxing people but actors/actresses attended the ceremony at the Hall.
It was Ishimatsu that established “Society of World Champions” in 2010 and became the first president representing all world champs from Japan. This country has produced some one hundred world titleholders with only a few having passed.
Forty-one former world champions and current titleholders such as Naoya Inoue attended the Farewell Ceremony. Ex-champs Tsuyoshi Hamada, Yoko Gushiken and Hideyuki Ohashi made heart-felt speeches to remember Guts’ achievements and warm personality. This reporter personally remembered that Guts once said, “It was my honor and privilege that I could exchange gloves with such great champions as Roberto Duran, Ismael Laguna and Ken Buchanan.” It’s ironic that his grudge rival Laguna followed Guts Ishimatsu’s passing just months later this year.
May their souls rest in peace.
