Ⓒ JoongAng Ilbo / JoongAng Ilbo Japanese version2022.03.10 08:59
“It’s scary, but it’s exciting for some reason. It’s an emotion that only people who have stood in Cage can understand.”
Yoshihiro Akiyama (47), who is preparing for a mixed martial arts match, said: Like a veteran, he had a generous tone from beginning to end. Yoshihiro Akiyama will face Shinya Aoki (39, Japan) in the light weight (77 kg) match of the ONE Championship mixed martial arts held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the 26th. Aoki is a player who has become a lightweight champion twice in the ONE Championship and has recently won four consecutive victories. He is currently in 3rd place in the ranking.
It will be the first match in two years for Yoshihiro Akiyama. Akiyama’s last match was against Sherif Mohamed (Egypt) in February 2020. At that time, he won the KO in the first round. On the 7th, I asked Akiyama, who is preparing for the match in Tokyo, about his feelings about the match on the phone.
◆ Practice plan with Kim Dong-hyun canceled at Corona
Akiyama said, “I am practicing in earnest in the New Year. I was planning to practice in Korea with my close junior Kim Dong Hyun (UFC welterweight former 6th place) as a partner, but it became difficult to move due to the spread of corona infection. I can’t do it anymore. I’m improving my condition with the help of my Japanese colleague. “
Akiyama is a gold medalist at the 2002 Busan Asian Games Judo Men’s 81kg class. After he retired in 2004, he turned to martial arts. He has an excellent striking ability, which is rare for a judoka player, and he was also active in the martial arts world. He advanced to the “Martial Arts Major League Baseball” UFC in 2009. He showed a smashing battle without worrying about victory or defeat and became popular. He was recently named one of the “Top 10 Greatest Judo Fighters in UFC History”. It appeared in the ONE Championship in 2018.
Born in 1975, Yoshihiro Akiyama is 47 years old and is an “elderly person” as a martial arts player. He has six packs that maintain clear muscles, but his strength and strength are different than before. On the other hand, it is still in its heyday in the broadcasting world. Akiyama, who had been showing up in the Korean and Japanese broadcasting world from early on with his excellent fashion sense and talk, attracted attention in the child-rearing program “Superman is back” that appeared with his daughter Ju Saran (11). .. Since then, there have been a series of offers to appear in the broadcasting and advertising world.
I asked Akiyama why he would play in a martial arts match again. Akiyama replied, “I followed the teachings of his father.” Akiyama’s father (71) was a fellow resident in Japan and a judoka player. He is a senior in judo and a mentor in life.
Akiyama said, “My father always said,’Choose a steep road instead of a flat road at the crossroads of your life.’ If you walk an easy and easy road, you will be lazy and lose your sense of goal. I like broadcasting, but the choice I have now is to be a tough and painful martial arts player. “
“There is nothing more important in sports than passion. People in their twenties and thirties had to win the game and make a lot of money. Now it is more important than winning or losing. Motivation and goal consciousness. As I was preparing for this match, my passion for newcomers revived. I felt that I was still in the cage. “
He has a bad relationship with his opponent Shinya Aoki, who is eight years younger. Aoki is a “strange” fighter who has provoked Akiyama to “fight” many times since 2008. The match between the two players was not realized because of different classes. Nevertheless, Aoki repeatedly stimulated Akiyama. He shouted to Akiyama, who he met at the match last year, “Why did he turn down the match?” In the end, the welterweight (84kg) Akiyama dropped one class to the lightweight and the match was realized. Yoshihiro Akiyama will play against the disadvantage of losing 7 kg from the previous game.
Akiyama said, “I was postponed due to an injury in the return match in April last year, and I felt very sorry for the fans and the ONE Championship. So I decided to accept it without any conditions if I was given another opportunity. “I wasn’t in a situation where I could choose a class and an opponent,” he said. “Rather good. It’s difficult to play against a champion-class player at my age, but I got a good chance. Make excuses and avoid. I don’t allow my self-esteem. “
Yoshihiro Akiyama does weight training (morning) -sparring (afternoon) -running (2 hours each at night) every day. He has a harsh schedule of practicing three times a day. He also has a thorough meal menu. He usually has to lose 13 kilos from 90 kilos. He eats only chicken fillet.
Akiyama said, “I was able to lose weight in a short period of time when I was in my twenties, but it is not easy when I get older. It is a pain to not be able to eat my favorite Samgyeopsal. And laughed.
Akiyama said that remembering his family during hard times would give him strength. In 2009, Akiyama married Japan’s top model SHIHO (Shiho Yano, 46). SHIHO respects and supports Akiyama’s will. Akiyama said, “Her wife trusts me and supports me. I’m grateful that she supported me when she said,’She wants to continue her active life.'” Said.
