Akihiko Honda – Architect Of Champions 

 Boxing stars fighters, however astute and visionary promoters are undoubtedly their enablers.

 Over the years and decades spanning eras, we`ve been fortunate to meet great people such as Papa Sarreal (Philippines), George Parnassus (United States), Mike Jacobs (United States), Don King (United States), Bob Arum (United States States), Tito Lectoure (Argentina), Rafito Cedeño (Venezuela), Jack Solomons (England), who are giants of topping the bill by creating boxing spectaculars. 

Today, we want to focus the spotlight on a genius who deserves and has earned a very special place at the summit of Boxing. The Pride of Japan Akihiko Honda, who`s  President of Teiken Promotions.

Born on September 9, 1947 in Tokyo, Japan, Mr. Honda has: “Lived and breathed boxing” since he was a child, when his beloved father, Akira Honda, had already formed the company Teiken Promotions.

Involved with sport by heritage but determined to make his own mark through illuminating achievement, Akihiko finished his studies (19 years old) as an Electrical Engineer in 1969, at the Rikkyo University. Two years earlier Honda had taken over the presidency of Teiken and Teiken Boxing Gym in Tokyo due to the death of his father.

“Pro Deo et Patria” which means “For God and the country” has been the motto with which Mr. Honda has guided his company and of course, with the values, teachings, wisdom and nurture of his parents. 

 The golden thread is the imperative of caring for his fighters, not only in terms of the growth of their careers, but also as individuals,  since he recognizes that the link and bond between director and directed must be strong since in this way both can grow plus develop. Akihiko Honda has stood out and stood up for his people, being a man inspired by challenges, progressing boxing to the highest and most exulted levels.

He possesses an able and alert mind, complemented by a keen work ethic,  always looking to innovate and generate fan-oriented spectaculars. The work to achieve this takes place in the Teiken gym, the second oldest surviving boxing gym in Japan, where the sophistication of experience is utilized to physically train and prepare young talents, former champions and world champions, never for a moment losing sight of their respective commitments.

Teiken Promotions, under the direction of Akihiko, has presented many outstanding contests, including: Mike Tyson vs. Tony Tubbs celebrated on March 21, 1988 which was the inauguration of the Tokyo Dome, -one of the most important venues of that city-, the fight of Gilberto Román when he was crowned super flyweight world champion against Jiro Watanabe in 1986, Román González and Carlos Cuadras, at the Inglewood Forum in California, in which the Nicaraguan won the WBC super flyweight belt to become four-time world champion in different divisions in 2016. 

Mr. Honda has always promoted GREAT and SPECTACULAR cards, having in the Teiken Promotions team champions such as: Tsuyoshi Hamada, Jorge Linares, Toshiaki Nishioka, Takahiro Ao, Shinsuke Yamanaka, Jose Luis Bueno, Takashi Miura, César Bazán, Edwin Valero, Hozumi Hasegawa, Román González and Carlos Cuadras.

Mr. Akihiko Honda is a highly recognized man loved by the entire boxing family, because he is not only a person who works for boxing but also someone who is always willing to help those who need it most. The most recent proof of this is that a few days ago, Mr. Honda donated $20,000 dollars on behalf of Carlos Cuadras, Román Gonzalez, Jorge Linares and the newly crowned champion Jessie Rodriguez to the fund in the name of Moises (Unidos Por Moisés) who, as we all know, suffered a KO loss in October of last year in Cancun, which caused a blood clot in the brain, and today, although he is on the way to recovery, both he and his family are going through a very complicated situation.

 A dear friend of the WBC, who has achieved maximum recognition as a promoter by following what he considers the infallible rules: making good boxers, having good trainers and physical trainers, who are an example of discipline and dedication, and creating an environment where the efforts of the boxers are rewarded, because at the end they are the ones who put everything into  each performance and to whom we owe so much.  The power and the glory!