Our Town Inagi 2016: Shigemori Yota, Watanabe Kenji

The Secret of Strength: Reaching the Top with Kickboxing

The two individuals who sweat daily at the Ibara Dojo Inagi Kickboxing Gym are both Japanese champions in kickboxing. We heard their story from childhood, the starting point, to the moment they grabbed the belt.

Both of you currently live in Inagi City, but where are you originally from? Also, did you play sports when you were young?
Shigemori: Born and raised in Inagi. I started kickboxing at the age of 5, and I also participated in other activities such as soccer, swimming, and gymnastics.
Watanabe: I am from Tochigi Prefecture. I have loved sports since I was a child, and I participated in track and field in junior high school and rugby in high school.

Please tell us the reasons you started kickboxing and the journey up to now.
Shigemori: I started kickboxing at the age of 5 when my parents took me, and I fought in my first match two months later. The reasons I continued were that I was able to win from the beginning and that it felt more intuitive to me than other sports. Later, in the 5th grade of elementary school, I transferred to the Ihara Dojo, practiced diligently, became the bantamweight champion in my senior year of high school, achieved a two-weight class championship last October, and am currently the featherweight champion.
Chikara Watanabe: I didn't achieve much in rugby, which I started in high school, but I discovered the world of kickboxing where individual skill matters, and I joined the Ihara Dojo at the age of 21. During my university years, I became the student champion, and later began my professional career, winning the welterweight championship belt in July 2014.

How did you feel when you first held the champion belt?
Shigemori: In my first title match, I fought with all my might and won by KO in the second round. Even after getting the belt, I didn't feel it much at first, but now that I am in a position to be targeted as a champion, I have started to develop a sense of awareness as a champion.
Watanabe: I am relieved to have the belt in my hands. In fact, I challenged for the title three times, and I was able to win on the third attempt. I thought I would regret it for the rest of my life if I couldn't take the belt, so my perseverance in challenging was worth it.

Please give a message to those who are about to take on a challenge.
Shigemori: Many people may think that it takes a long time for a person to change, but I felt that it doesn't take much time through kickboxing. In kickboxing, the training regimen is different from the usual one, and during the three weeks before a match, both the body and motivation are built up. People can change even in a short period of time.
Watanabe: I like the phrase "If you set your mind to it, you can achieve it," and I believe that if you try, you can succeed. Instead of giving up easily, please take on challenges. I sacrificed various things to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a champion, and I was able to realize it. If you challenge yourself with everything you have, your dreams will definitely come true.