Born March 31, 1947 in Kobe City, Japan. He had a brief experience boxing from the ages of 15 to 17 at the Kobe Boxing Gym.
As a seventeen year old he corresponded with Nat Fleischer at The Ring about world title bouts in Asia. So impressed was Fleischer that he asked Koizumi to be The Ring's Japanese correspondent. Forty-three years later the Tokyo-based Koizumi is still reporting on the latest boxing action in Japan and Asia for “The Bible of Boxing.” Koizumi is also a noted columnist for Flash / Boxing Update, Fightnews.com and British Boxing News. Since 1979 Koizumi has served as television commentator for TV Tokyo, Nippon TV, and WOWOW.
In addition to his journalistic duties, Koizumi has been licensed by the Japan Boxing Commission as a cornerman since 1965 and he was been active as a trainer, cornerman, cutman and manager for 42 years. He has contributed to the corners of WBC light flyweight champion Shigeo Nakajima, WBC/WBA super flyweight champion Jiro Watanabe, WBC featherweight champion Luisito Espinosa and WBA mimimum weight king Joma Gamboa.
In 1985 Koizumi established Ring Japan, his company that deals with boxing films and merchandise. For over 20 years he has also been a prolific international matchmaker (nearly 150 world title bouts) and a prominent promoter of bouts in Japan and the Philippines. In 1988 Koizumi served as Mike Tyson's Japanese agent, booking Tyson vs. Tony Tubbs at the Tokyo Dome.
Born: Mar. 31, 1947
Induction: 2008
Joe Koizumi
