Ye Jun Kim was out running when a call came in that would change his life.
Kim is preparing to face Kenny. Filipino Demesillo at Ariake Arena in Tokyo when his trainer, John Bastable, called him.
Sam Goodman from Australia Withdrew from the rescheduled fight with Naoya Inoue. After the punch that caused the first delay, another happened.
Kim knew he was the backup if Goodman didn’t go to the dance again. Goodman and Inoue were scheduled to meet on Dec. 24, but that turned out to be Jan. 24, but he didn’t think the phone would ring and his path would change.
“I was running 6km when my coach called me and told me that Goodman was injured and my management called to say that I was now facing Inoue,” Kim told BoxingScene. “It was good news I opted to run 10km instead as I needed the additional distance and fitness at the moment. So that I can fight the best in the world.”
Kim is 21-2-2 (13 KO). The 5-foot-4 South Korean turned professional in 2012 at age 19 and lost in his second fight. He later fought in Mexico, America, Australia and Thailand. He also won on previous visits to Japan in 2013 when he won a majority decision over Masatoshi Tomita and in 2014 when he Defeated Akihiro Matsumoto in nine rounds to win the WBC youth title.
In the past few years He lost a 14-9 majority decision to Rob Diesel on that visit to the United States, but Kim went on to win the next two titles, stopping John Bazan in the Australian round and Rakesh. Lohshab in five rounds in Thailand.
From Seoul, which has a population of more than 9 million, Kim now has a dream ticket to change the course of his life. Fighting an elite opponent like Inoue was an opportunity he had long dreamed of.
“This has always been my inspiration,” Friday’s nominee said. “And in fact Since Inoue’s move up to 122 pounds, I’ve always had hope that our paths would one day collide. So to be here fighting him for all the championships is a dream come true.”
Inoue is the undisputed ruler of the junior featherweight division. Last year he added Luis Nery and TJ Doheny to the list of victims, and he came out on top. of the sport as one of the best fighters with a record of 28-0 (25 KO).
Despite the gifts, talent and trophies of Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford, Inoue is Kim’s top priority.
“Yes, I think he is the best boxer in the world,” said the enemy challenger. “He has very good timing and speed. He has all the skills of a complete professional boxer. He also has powers together. He knows the ring. He has a good feel for where to position himself and knows how to control how to fight most of his opponents so far.”
It took Inoue little time to figure Doheny out, and Nery even dumped him during a blockbuster performance at the Tokyo Dome last May. Inoue ended up defeating Nery on six occasions and Doheny on seven occasions.
“He is human. He can be beaten,” Kim said. “He will make mistakes. But you can’t just go on stage and fight him to survive. You must take calculated risks and fight for victory. I know for sure people will see me fighting to win. And I will do my best to use my strength and skills to counter him in exchange for my power punch.”
Kim is as high as the underdog at 22/1.
The list of great South Korean boxers is not very long. But Kim is well aware and understands the impact he will have if he wins.
“Boxing used to be one of our most popular sports. But recently Recently, baseball, basketball, and football have received more attention. But since this fight has been announced I am very pleased with the great support from home. The South Koreans really want me to do this,” he said.
But that doesn’t mean he feels pressured. Because it’s the losing side. So don’t expect much from him. He hopes to give fans a performance that will exceed their expectations. Of course, he also yearns for victory.
“I just feel a sense of hope about what it means to reach that goal. I want to prove to the boxing world that I am a great boxer,” he added.
Kim is not married and has no children. He is motivated by creating the best legacy he can in the sport. In addition to boxing He enjoys cooking, watching movies and teaching children to box, as he strives to inspire the next generation of boxers in his country.
“My motivation for making Box was to create a better life and legacy,” explains Kim, “to show that people have the power to overcome any situation in life. I was an orphan and grew up with many hardships. But I want to show that there is hope for everyone.”
For people who have been through a lot in life No wonder the pre-battle nerves were something he could hardly feel. But he is full of ambition, hope and eagerness to be his best on Friday night.
“I will follow a routine and process. To prepare,” he said of how he would deal with the emotions of that night. “It’s a great opportunity. But I will focus on giving it my all. I knew I had to prepare as best I could for Inoue. So my focus will be there.”
In addition to having his country behind him, Kim also has Australian fight manager Mike Altamura with him. At the end of last year Altamura volunteers for Kim to stay by Inoue’s side. Less than two weeks ago, he received a call from Mr. Akihiko Honda, Japan’s Hall of Fame sponsor. Altamura was asked if Koreans are overweight. Now they have arrived in Japan ready to shake up the boxing world.
“Jun is a great kid to work with,” Altamura said. “He is quiet, very hardworking, very disciplined, very focused and very grateful to the team that represents him. So he was a pleasure to work with.” I feel as though he has been through many difficult wars throughout his career. And never received any real props from the industry. So I’m grateful he’s finally getting the opportunity that brings him to the sport’s biggest stage. Hopefully he can put on a really strong performance.”
