Top Tokyo execs are lacing up their gloves for the second installment of Executive Fight Night at the Grand Hyatt
The night – “a Vegas-style boxing event that could become a regular hit on the annual Tokyo social calendar” – is the brainchild of three Tokyo-based businessmen known as the ‘Ginja Ninjas’ and we heard a lot of chatter about their successful first bunch of bouts in November.
Unfortunately, all tickets and tables for the May 24 event have now been sold, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the website (ginjaninjas.com) where some of the fighters and trainers are blogging in the run up; might their tales make you want to step into the ring next time?
Adam ‘the Landlord’ German, General Manager of Real Estate Japan K.K (pictured above), writes that he “fell in love with the event,” after sitting ringside last year and is now looking forward to being one of the main attractions.
His blog post, “Why I Want to Fight,” describes his hitting the gym the day after that night in November and signing up to make the move into the ring: “I wanted it more than I was scared of failure,” he says of his journey, which included some reluctance but the success of passing two cuts and making the final 14.
“Walking out to a ring in front of 600 people screaming for a good fight was what finally overcame my stubbornness. I had finally committed to something.”
We spoke with one of the organisers, Dave Thomas, of Adidas Japan, ahead of the night and he told us all concerned were “very excited as we move into the final countdown. We have some great sponsors and partners on board and the Ginja Ninjas are working on ways to make Executive Fight Night II even more exciting than the first one for the 450-plus in the audience.”
We wish luck to all involved – not least the 14 fighters – particularly as Thomas tells us they’ll be “raising money for Refugees International Japan, our charity of choice.”
by Matthew Hernon
