The Japan Pro Boxing Association decided at its recent board meeting that it will aim at establishing a hall of fame both for professional and amateur boxing, boxing sources said on Oct. 18.

According to the sources, the JPBA decided to establish a preparatory committee for the Japanese boxing’s hall of fame as it intends to ask the Japan Boxing Commission and Japan Amateur Boxing Federation for their cooperation for the establishment.

The JPBA also decided at its executive meeting on Oct. 16 that it will seek the resignation of JBC executive officer Nobuaki Uratani at an early date for the JBC’s ‘’slipshod’’ doping examinations for World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym.

Ioka took a bashing due to the media report around this spring on his alleged use of cannabis-like substances in his title defense against Kosei Tanaka of SOUL BOX Hatanaka Boxing Gym on Dec. 31 last year, in which Ioka stopped Tanaka to retain the title. It turned out the JBC official in charge was not properly handling Ioka’s urine sample.

Since Uratani was in charge of the title match, the JPBA is placing blame for his negligence.
As for JBC president Yuhei Nagata, the JPBA will not seek his responsibility since he is still in the early days of the presidency.