[Exclusive Confession] Boxing Ryota Murata The Truth About "The Battle of the Century" April 14, 17:12

The day after the match, he appeared in front of the camera with a bruised face.

Professional boxer Ryota Murata, 36 years old.

On April 9, Mr. Murata fought and lost the world championship unification battle, which is said to be the "one battle of the century."

In fact, about a month and a half before the match, Mr. Murata told the interview team that he might retire regardless of whether he wins or loses.

What was Mr. Murata looking for beyond victory and defeat?

(Close-up contemporary coverage group Naofumi Okamoto Daishi Ito)

I told myself, "I lost, you."

Mr. Murata:

"I don't feel like the match is over yet. The moment I woke up, I thought there was still a match. So I told myself," You lost, "and I was relieved that there was no match.

Yesterday's ultimate terrible image came to the fore, and then it was released. This was the first time in the morning.

"

About 15 hours ago, Mr. Murata was standing in a ring staring at 15,000 people.

The opponent is Gennady Golovkin, who has been longing for Mr. Murata for many years and is called "the strongest in history".

The total amount of fight money is billions of yen, which is the biggest big match in the history of Japanese boxing.

In the 9th round, Mr. Murata sank into the ring with Gorovkin's right hook and could not unify the title.

I want to be stronger as a human being, not as a boxer

Mr. Murata (February)

"I don't know until that situation, but I'm sure I'm retiring if I lose. Even if I win, I probably have no choice but to continue. But I don't know, I have to win. What would it be like to win that? "

One day in February, Mr. Murata, who stopped by a coffee shop after practice, told us:

We couldn't hide our surprise from the words, "We may retire even if we win."

This is because the title that Mr. Murata could get by winning this match should have never been seen before.

Something beyond victory or defeat.

I couldn't help wondering what it would be like for Mr. Murata to get what he really wanted to get in this match.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Mr. Murata won a gold medal in the middleweight boxing class.

He turned professional with a lot of noise and became the world champion in 2017.

It is the second feat in history for a Japanese player to become the world champion in the middleweight class called the "golden middleweight", which is thick and highly competitive.

Mr. Murata, who stood at the top of the world as both a professional and an amateur, often talked about his "weakness" when interviewing.

Mr. Murata (November last year)

"Boxing is getting stronger, but in exchange for that, my heart is getting weaker. Boxing is strong, but the contents are" Sukkarakan ". That's why it's fun to say that it's the strongest. If you ask me, it will be empty ... "

Mr. Murata (February)

"The strength I think and the strength I have chased are that the more I chase, the farther away I am. Rather, what I see is weakness and ugliness. I feel like I'm going to get it. I thought it was a journey to notice my strength, but in the end, I just noticed my weakness. "

Mr. Murata has been aiming not only to win or lose but also to overcome his weakness as a human being.

However, there were days when I couldn't even stand on the stage for that.

Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, the game has been postponed or canceled many times.

He is 36 years old.

In the final stages of his career, the first match in two years and four months was the "World Championship Unification Battle" with Golovkin, the man who is said to be the "strongest in history."

Mr. Murata (November last year)

"I think there is a fear in dealing with a boxer named Golovkin. When I can overcome it, I think my content will become stronger. Whether I can surpass myself. There's always something you can get by fighting Golovkin. I think there's a lot you can't see without him. "

"Flowers are games, trunks are humans", which I thought under the cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

Two weeks until the match.

Mr. Murata stopped by the park for a walk between practice sessions.

Stop in front of the cherry tree.

It wasn't the flowers in full bloom that she was looking at, but the trunks that supported them.

She asked why she was staring at the trunk.

Mr. Murata (March)

"I didn't look at this (trunk) because I wanted to make only flowers bloom in my life. The

game is a flower. The trunk is made by practice. I wonder if this trunk is solid as a human being. Otherwise, if you don't box forever, you'll be a human who can't shine. "

Mr. Murata (March)

"As long as you have a solid trunk, the flowers will bloom in a few years, even if they don't bloom. After all, the strength is the trunk."

"Courage is with fear"

On April 9th, the time of the decisive battle was finally reached.

Golovkin's reputation is overwhelmingly advantageous.

Still, Mr. Murata is attacking from the beginning to the front.

Armed with a strong punch into the body, he backed Golovkin and took control.

However, in the middle stage, Golovkin shows the reason why he is the strongest in history.

An illusionary punch that you don't know where it will fly from.

Various combinations.

Gradually hunt down Mr. Murata.

Still, Mr. Murata never lost his attitude to move forward.

He was driven by a rope, and even though his feet were swaying due to intense repeated hits, Mr. Murata was excited to see him trying to move forward.

And it was the moment when Mr. Murata came out in the 9th round.

Golovkin's strong right hook hits his face.

Mr. Murata collapsed into the ring.

From the second of Mr. Murata who saw it, a towel that means to stop the game is thrown.

The fierce battle of 26 minutes and 11 seconds ended with Mr. Murata's knockout defeat.

Before the match, Mr. Murata promised us that "whether you win or lose, we will interview you the next day as long as you are not injured."

As we witnessed the fierce battle, we wanted to hear Mr. Murata's words that shook the hearts of all who saw them, but we had mixed feelings that it would put a heavy burden on us.

And at 1:00 pm the day after the match, Mr. Murata appeared at the promised place.

His chin, neck, shoulders, etc. still hurt, but he says he has no symptoms left behind.

The decision to put in the towel was probably not wrong.

As usual, he answered the question in good faith, staring at us.

Before the match, Mr. Murata said, "I want to overcome fear and become stronger as a human being."

It was surprising that he felt after a battle with Golovkin.

Mr. Murata

"It's not that it's important to get rid of fear. I thought it's okay to stay in fear. Isn't it not scary? After

all, I think courage is with fear. So you can be scared. I'm scared but I'm going. In the end, I feel like that. I don't think it's bad, that

's fine. I shouldn't be scared or nervous. I'm now. As I said, I want to avoid it. I don't want to taste it again. But as a result, confronting it creates human beings. It gave me a very thankful opportunity. Fear is an absolute negative in my life. I really feel that it's not a factor. "

Mr. Murata:

"And I didn't make you feel like this unless you were a Golovkin player. Weird story, if you think you can win, it didn't make you feel like this.

So please make a match with Golovkin .

I would like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. Few people can have such an experience. Thank you very much. "

"I can't give an answer yet, even if I'm quitting"

And the word we heard a month and a half ago, "You may retire whether you win or lose."

After the match, I frankly asked what he thought.

Mr. Murata

"I think Golovkin is the strongest champion in both name and reality, so I had the feeling that if I bumped into that player, I would have nothing to remember.

I did everything I could in preparation. I did my best to do

what I

've done so far. With that feeling, I guess I said, "Isn't there the next one?"

I have to be able to make that decision during this period. Possibly

... I think this is a good "quitting" for me now. I can't give you the answer. Is it like that? "

Mr. Murata:

"I really got a lot of things from boxing. Because I had boxing, I met various people and studied.

So next, I'd like to return the benefits and benefits I received to someone. I think I'll be in a position where I have to, so I hope I can do that. "

"I got more than a victory"

At the end of the interview, I asked Mr. Murata.

What did you get in the match called "The Battle of the Century"?

Mr. Murata

"What did you get ... The first thing that comes to your mind is to face yourself.

Instead of chasing after winning the opponent, you win yourself. And you didn't lose to yourself. Yeah. You don't have to "win" yourself, you just have to "do not lose".

Don't lose to yourself, control yourself. It would be great if you had a victory. You just couldn't win. It's so sweet. No, it's a professional sport, but

the feeling that I couldn't lose to myself is irreplaceable. As of today, I think I've gained a sense of fulfillment. It's completely different from the feeling of finishing. I feel like I got a strange story, "more than victory". "

There are words that Mr. Murata always emphasizes in our interviews.

"I'm just an ordinary person who isn't special. I just found something called boxing there and it just happened to work. With everyone."

If you replace "match" with "work" for Mr. Murata, you will feel "anxiety" and "fear" in front of a big job.

It is said that the "my weakness" that I notice there is the same as that of a normal human being.

I don't think Mr. Murata, a gold medalist and world champion, is a "normal person".

On the other hand, although he has never experienced boxing, there is a moment when Mr. Murata's appearance is strangely sympathetic.

And that's why Mr. Murata, who is an "ordinary person", is impressed by the way he tries to become a strong person through the game while having "confusion," "anxiety," and "fear." Looking at the days leading up to this match, I strongly felt.

Mr. Murata, who lost the match against Golovkin, may not have been able to make the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

However, he will continue to live to grow a dignified "trunk" and a powerful "root".

Naofumi Okamoto ,

Director of Social Program Department

Joined in 2012

Murata's eldest son, who was 6 years old at the time, stole the persimmon when he was eating the persimmon that was served at Mr. Murata's parents' house

from 5 years before he challenged the world title. Since

he was misunderstood as a person, he

has been called "Mr. Okamoto, a persimmon thief."

Daishi Ito ,

Director of Sports Information Program Department

Joined in 2012

Mr. Murata has been interviewing from 5 years before he challenged the world title.

Since he cut his hairstyle before the first defense, Mr. Murata will join hands every time he meets.

Close-up Hyundai "The battle of Ryota Murata, a boxer who is" strong as a person ""

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