No pros allowed
It's called Executive Fight Bushido, a fight night that goes toe-to-toe with the pros when it comes to entertainment value: Strobe lights, thumping music, even a veteran ring announcer.
The only difference is the kickboxers; all amateurs, and all from the business world — executives, lawyers, and consultants.
It's true these fighters had their fair share of knocks in life … and were no strangers to fierce competition and discipline. But the blows—and the chest thumping—were mostly confined to office suites. Tonight, it was happening in the ring.
The event, usually staged twice a year in Tokyo, started 4 years ago. The man behind it is Kohiruimaki Takayuki, a former professional kickboxer and former super welterweight champion of Japan.
"People say that to be successful in business, you need to have the spirit of a professional fighter," says Kohiruimaki. "Otherwise, you won't be able to manage a business. I created this event so executives can get a taste of the physical side of competition."
Challenge of a bullied CEO
46-year-old Oyakawa Masaaki was training for his first fight in March. He's the president of a financial education firm. He also runs seminars for business managers around the country and abroad.
"I started kickboxing because I thought if I could be more aggressive, it would help me in business."
Oyakawa was bullied as a child, and eventually stopped going to school. He says these memories made it hard for him to trust people.
After struggling to find his way in the business world, he set out on his own and started a company.
He believes that getting into the ring will help him finally reach his true potential.
"The most important thing is to never give up and keep fighting until the very last second. The biggest fight is inside yourself, and if I can win that battle, I'll be happy."
Day of the Battle
On the day of the match, Oyakawa faced off against the president of a digital marketing company.
The opening bell rang, and Oyakawa was immediately struck with the first blow.
His plan to go on the attack went out the window. He barely survived the first round.
In the second round, he managed to raise his guard, but continued to be on the defensive. He almost went down several times.
Just as he was about to hit the canvas, he heard cheers from his colleagues.
"Go Oyakawa!"
Fired up by his cheering supporters, he landed a counterpunch in the dying moments of the bout.
His last efforts were in vain, and the ring announcer declared victory for the blue corner.
Oyakawa stood stunned in the center of the ring.
Respecting Opponents
Oyakawa lost the match, but he had kept his promise to never give up. Dazed and bruised, he realized something else.
"I'm used to fighting alone. People say that CEOs are usually lonely, and I've found that to be the case. But today I learned that there are lots of people who support me, even more than I could imagine. I'm glad I tried this."
Nine bouts were fought that night. Opponents praised each other after the 3 hours of brutal combat. According to organizer Kohiruimaki, that is exactly the spirit he is hoping to promote.
"I want fighters to be as brave as the samurai of old, and to be active in the business world with a Bushido spirit that never forgets to respect others."
So is Japan about to make yet another contribution to the world of martial arts? Organizers say they are looking at holding competitions abroad, starting in Brazil. Considering all the business talent on hand, kickstarting those projects shouldn't be a problem.
