Toshihiko "Iron Man of Japan / Samurai / Panda" Era

If you don't know about him, you really should learn.

From the RBR thread for Toshihiko Era vs. Pradish Anbuchezhian last month:

Alright, you guys...let's talk about Toshihiko Era. This man is FASCINATING.

First of all, he's 50 years old. He made his pro debut in 1994. He retired two years later after becoming paralyzed and having a slew of health conditions that left him unable to walk unassisted.

Fast-forward exactly two decades, and he un-retires in 2016 (licensed in Thailand, as the JBC refused despite his successful physical rehab) and has posted a respectable 23-3-1 record since. He's coming off a stoppage of former world title challenger Komgrich Nantapech.

Buddy and sparring partner of Katsunari Takayama.

He's an elementary school teacher.

He runs charities supporting homeless people & cats.

He has three different nicknames: Iron Man, Samurai, and (the one he's announced by today) Panda.

Oh, and he's a direct lineage descendant of Tenmu Ōama, the 40th emperor of Japan.



Well, guess what? This morning, one month to a day after blitzing Anbuchezhian, the crazy old SOB does this:

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Granted it's only the WBF title, a cracker jack prize of a "world championship", but still. To be fifty years old and knocking suckas out left and right - including a former ranked contender fourteen years his junior like Komgrich "Eaktwan BTU Ruaviking" Nantapech - that's impressive!

 

You think you could withstand that whirlwind flurry, do you?