Mamoru Takamura

Takamura Mamoru (鷹村 守 lit. takamura mamoru) is a deuteragonist in Hajime no Ippo.

He is a multi-weight class (currently middleweight) hybrid boxer affiliated with the Kamogawa Boxing Gym. He is the current unified WBC and WBA Middleweight champion.

His surname is Takamura. In Japan, surnames are listed before given names.

Template:Boxer

Background

Takamura's first win.

Takamura is the estranged middle son of the famous Takamura Development company, supported by his older sister Kyoka and younger brother Wataru. His eldest brother, Suguru, a former rugby standoff, constantly belittles his vast boxing accomplishments and carries on the stigma that Takamura is simply a thug that thrives on beating up others. Despite the Takamura family's impressive wealth, Mamoru lives off of his own earnings as a pro boxer.

Joining the Kamogawa Gym

As the coach is walking the streets of Tokyo one night, he witnesses a brutal beating being dealt to a number of delinquents by Takamura Mamoru. Kamogawa takes it as nothing but a senseless fight between delinquents until Takamura unknowingly executes a pro-class punch right in front of him. Takamura is then stopped by Kamogawa before proceeding with the fight as he did not want him to kill anybody. After being body checked by the coach, Takamura is then offered to box at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym. Takamura does not like the idea of fighting with rules, but decides to do it anyway proclaiming that "it can kill some time." Takamura is taken to the gym and he immediately begins working the bag, leaving Miyata Sr., Yagi, Shinoda, and Kamogawa in awe. He is then taken to run a course as guided by the coach. Takamura had only desired to hit people and bailed on the Kamogawa Gym after. Kamogawa, not sure if Takamura would show up of his own free will, shows up at his house for several days ready to train him. Along with roadwork and pulling his scooter, Kamogawa forbids Takamura from using his right and to only work the bag with his left, going so far as to tape his right to his body. Unfortunately, Kamogawa ends up getting sick from waiting on Takamura in the rain one day and does not show up the day after, much to Takamura's pleasure. He, however decides to train himself of his own free will after being forced to do it prior to Kamogawa's absence. After days and days of training, Takamura has his first match set up for him in three months time. Takamura has a hard time dealing with this as he is facing against a pro straight out of high school. However, once in the ring, Takamura realizes how the training has affected him and KOs his opponent in under a minute. It is then that Takamura declares to take Kamogawa to the world.

History

Ippo's Pro Debut

Takamura teaching Ippo leaves training.

One day during road work, Takamura sees high school student Makunouchi Ippo getting beaten by Umezawa Masahiko and his friends. Takamura intervenes, driving the bullies away and reluctantly taking an unconscious Ippo to the gym. There he expresses his disliking for both bullies and those who simply let themselves be bullied. In order to make the frustrated Ippo feel better before leaving, he teaches him how to do a straight and encourages him to defend himself next time. Noticing his well-built body and incredible strength, Takamura gives Ippo a video showing a collection of Mike Tyson's knockouts, in an attempt to encourage him to practice boxing as a way of learning self-defense and relieve his stress.

After these events, Ippo asks Takamura to help him become a professional boxer instead of just simply a continuous student at the gym. Disturbed at the idea of someone taking boxing lightly, Takamura presents Ippo with a challenge; if he can catch ten falling leaves from a tree with his jabs within one week, Takamura will agree to help him.

Takamura as a referee.

After Ippo successfully passes the test, Takamura gives him a training menu to follow for a month before taking him to the gym. Upon introducing Ippo to the members, Takamura is scolded by Kamogawa, who thinks Ippo is no boxing material. They ultimately decide to let Ippo spar against boxing prodigy, Miyata Ichirou, in order to determine whether or not he has a future in the sport. Takamura serves as Ippo's second during the fight, advising him on different strategies and moves that get Ippo to the third round before being knocked out. Despite losing, they are able to gain the coach's approval and Ippo becomes a member of the gym.

Takamura vs Hirano Kazuhiko

As an All Japan Rookie King with an impeccable record and ranked fifth in his weight class by the JBC, Takamura had the opportunity to face Hirano Kazuhiko who was ranked third. Despite his harsh diet, Takamura was able to easily defeat the more experienced fighter, and immediately get ranked first in Japan.

Makunouchi Ippo vs Oda Yusuke

Takamura, along with Aoki and Kimura, watch Ippo's fight with Oda, then celebrates Ippo's first win.

Rookie King Tournament - First Round: Makunouchi Ippo vs Jason Ozuma

Ippo celebrates his first year at the gym with Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura at the Chuuka Soba. After learning about Jason Ozuma's powerful hook, the coach asks Takamura to help Ippo with dodging hooks. He accepts the request and begins throwing hooks for Ippo to dodge until he successfully dodges them. Takamura, along with Aoki and Kimura, watches the match between Ippo and Ozuma.

Rookie King Tournament - Second Round: Makunouchi Ippo vs Kobashi Kenta

Takamura and Ippo watch Miyata's fight against Takada Teruhiko, after Miyata wins Takamura notes Miyata's growth. While watching Hayami Ryuuichi's match on tape, Takamura is enraged with all the female fans Hayami has. Takamura, Aoki, Kimura, and Ippo go to training camp at the beach. There, everyone trained by running in the sand, sparring, and shadow boxing. When Takamura notices Ippo's weak point, Takamura shows his bare foot to Ippo to show him his blister. He explains that Ippo needs to work on his feet to boost his speed performance. On the final night at the training camp, Takamura states that the Japanese title is just a stepping stone and that his final goal is the world champion title.

On the day of the matches, Takamura watches Ippo's match against Kobashi Kenta in the locker room.

Japanese Middleweight Title - Takamura Mamoru vs Yajima Yoshiaki

Takamura and the Japanese middleweight champion enter the ring. Despite an organized cheering squad being there for the champion, Takamura has the support of most attendants. Motivated by his dream of achieving a world title and returning with the JBC belt to Kamogawa, Takamura quickly rushes to his opponent as soon as the bell rings, but is received by a counter, thus touching the canvas for the first time in his career. With the help of hearing Ippo, Aoki, and Kimura call his name, he gets up at the count of eight, and viciously knocks the champion out by shattering his jaw. After being crowned, he celebrates his and Ippo's win that night at Sugar Ray. Takamura walks with Ippo to his house, before Ippo leaves, he was about to give his thanks to him for cheering, instead he encourages Ippo to get the rookie king.

Rookie King Tournament - Semi-final Round: Makunouchi Ippo vs Hayami Ryuuichi

Takamura attended Hayami's match against Yasukawa Kazu, Aoki's match, and Ippo's match against Hayami.

Rookie King Tournament - Semi-final Round: Miyata Ichirou vs Mashiba Ryou

Takamura attended Miyata's match against Mashiba Ryou. After the match, Takamura noted that now Ippo's goal is lost.

Rookie King Tournament - Final Round: Makunouchi Ippo vs Mashiba Ryou

After Ippo heard that Mashiba is Kumi's brother he told Takamura, who then told Aoki and Kimura, the trio then teased Ippo about it. Takamura demonstrates the difference between Ippo's and Mashiba's arm reach. Takamura attends Ippo's match against Mashiba.

Defending the JBC title

After becoming the Japanese middleweight champion, Takamura successfully and easily defended the title four more times after the Kamogawa Gyms training vacation to the mountains where Nekota Ginpachi put them through his woodland training exercise that was much more difficult then anything the had experienced before, despite this Takamura easily completed it and at the end of the week went into woods claiming he'd come back with a bear for dinner, to which the everyone regarded as a joke. In reality however Takamura was serious and when he found it he was attacked by it and presided to be viciously beaten and lacerated by the Bear's monstrous claws and arm strength.despite his injures and inner doubt Takamura overcame both and the upper hand by counter-punching the Bear's head while it tried to attack him, eventually after one last fatal blow Takamura KO'd the bear and to his own disbelief let out a massive victory cry while standing triumphant over the Bears corpse. Takamura was surprised however to discover that the bear was still alive despite the shear bludgeoning it took from his fists. Angrered by it's stubbornness, Takamura prepared to kill it by stomping it's already fractured skull. However Takamura saw two young bear cubs staring innocently at their mother who Takamura realised he had beaten to near death. After seeing this he lets the bear alive but only out of respect for the mother and not simpathy for the Cubs. He returns to the lodge where he received a scolding by coach Kamogawa for being so reckless that he got himself injured and a mocking by his friends believing that he lied about his story and that he actually chickened out and ran away, but they stopped after he threatened them and called them jealous lairs as well as reminding them that ran away screaming from the same bear while doing roadwork, just days prior. However the rooms mood turned to joy Nekota brought out bear stew for everyone to eat. Takamura asked where he got it because that they didn't have any bear meat, to Nekota replied that he found a very injured bear surrounded by her two cubs in the woods. Takamura realizing this was the same bear that he fought gets extremely angry and upset and roars at him for killing the bear after he spared her, because he believed she deserved to live. Everyone looked his face, shocked at how serious it was and slowly realise he was telling the truth. Distraught by this truth Takamura breaks down crying while proclaiming that only he will eat the bear out respect, screaming in agony while he does. After this they say their goodbyes and go home the next morning. After they get back to the gym Takamura tells many reporters about how he defeated the bear. Later during his title defense against Itou Takaaki, Takamura asks Nekota to bring him the Bears skin and wear it during his ring entrance not for boasting but mainly out of respect for the bear being his greatest opponent at the time and to give it the glory it deserves. Everyone including his opponent and their coach get angry at him and say that he's lying, saying he just bought the skin and don't believe the story, much like Takamura's gym mates earlier on. The opinions change however when Takamura takes off the skin then reveal his three bear claw scars that he received during his battle with the bear, after seeing this everyone gasps in shock. The match starts and Takamura knocks his opponent out easily with repeated left jabs the face, intentionally referencing the quote "He who rules with his left, rules the world!" showing his dream to get the world titles.

Battle of Hawk

Before his title match with Bryan Hawk, Takamura meets with Suguru, where Suguru offers him a job at the family business when "he is done beating people up." It is later revealed during Mamoru's fight with Hawk that Suguru is very proud of his brother's triumphs and was simply offering him a job because he cares for Mamoru and wishes him to have a more reliable and less threatening future.

Mission to conquer different weight classes.

Takamura is on a personal quest to conquer 6 different weight classes (Junior Middleweight through Heavyweight), and is doing pretty well moving up the ladder. So far he has become champion in 2 out of 6 weight classes:

1. WBC Junior Middleweight Champion (154 lbs)

2. WBC and WBA Middleweight Champion (160 lbs)

Only left is to conquer, the following:

3. Super Middleweight (168 lbs)

4. Light Heavyweight (175 lbs)

5. Cruiserweight (190 lbs)

6. Heavyweight (190+ lbs)

He is the current WBC and WBA World Middleweight Champion and former WBC Junior Middleweight Champion. He was also the JBC Middleweight Champion, but relinquished it after 4 title defenses. He lives alone at the Ohta Inn apartment complex, and his room is littered with junk, old food, pornography, and even his Belts. He still lives there even after becoming World Champion, preferring a simple life.

Match History

Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
N/A	N/A	File:EUA.png Keith Lycaon	N/A	-(12)	1999-01	Tokyo, Japan	Defending WBC and WBA Middleweight Championship
WIN	24-0-0	File:EUA.png Richard Bison	TKO	6(12)	1998 (?)	Tokyo, Japan	Middleweight Unification Match Retained WBC and won WBA Middleweight titles
WIN	23-0-0	File:EUA.png Peter Rabbitson	KO	12(12), 1:27	1997-10-25	Tokyo, Japan	"Operation- World Domination II" 4th Retained WBC Middleweight title
WIN	22-0-0	File:EUA.png Ronald Duck	KO	10(12)	1997-04-15	Yokohama, Japan	"World Conquest Proclamation" 3rd Retained WBC Middleweight title
WIN	21-0-0	File:EUA.png Rickey Mouse	KO	1(12)	1996-09-12	Tokyo, Japan	"Operation- World Domination" 2nd Retained WBC Middleweight title
WIN	20-0-0	File:EUA.png Richard Fox	KO	1(12), 2:47	1996-03	Tokyo, Japan	1st Retained WBC Middleweight title
WIN	19-0-0	File:EUA.png David Eagle	KO	8(12)	1995-08-27	Yokohama, Japan	"A Passing Point" Won WBC Middleweight title
WIN	18-0-0	File:EUA.png Larry Bernard	TKO	1(12), 0:49	1995-04-28	Tokyo, Japan	"King of Hawk" 1st Retained WBC Junior Middleweight title
WIN	17-0-0	File:EUA.png Bryan Hawk	KO	8(12)	1994-12-20	Tokyo, Japan	"Battle of Hawk" Won WBC Junior Middleweight title
WIN	16-0-0	Morris West	KO	6(10)	1994-10-14	Tokyo, Japan	"Apocalypse Now" Gets WBC ranking 1st
WIN	15-0-0	Unknown	KO	3(10)	1994-04	Tokyo, Japan	WBC Junior Middleweight Eliminator Match
WIN	14-0-0	Unknown	KO	3(10)	1993	Tokyo, Japan	N/A
WIN	13-0-0	File:Japon.png Itou Takaaki	KO	1(10)	1993-07	Tokyo, Japan	4th Retained JBC Middleweight title
WIN	12-0-0	File:Japon.png Tamaoki Atsushi	KO	2(10)	1993-01	Tokyo, Japan	3rd Retained JBC Middleweight title
WIN	11-0-0	Unknown	KO	7(10)	1992	Tokyo, Japan	2nd Retained JBC Middleweight title
WIN	10-0-0	Bonchai Chuwatana	KO	3(10)	1992-04-20	Tokyo, Japan	1st Retained JBC Middleweight title
WIN	9-0-0	File:Japon.png Yajima Yoshiaki	KO	1(10)	1991-10	Tokyo, Japan	Won JBC Middleweight Champion Title
WIN	8-0-0	File:Japon.png Kazuhiko Hirano	KO	1(10)	1990-10	Tokyo, Japan	N/A
WIN	7-0-0	Unknown	KO	1(6)	1989-02	Tokyo, Japan	All Japan Rookie Tournament
WIN	6-0-0	Unknown	KO	1(4)	Unknown	Tokyo, Japan	East Japan Rookie King Tournament, Became Rookie King Champion of the East
WIN	5-0-0	Unknown	TKO	1(4), 0:15	Unknown	Tokyo, Japan	East Japan Rookie King Tournament Semi-Finals (Record KO times 0:15 secondes for 1 Round)
WIN	4-0-0	Unknown	KO	1(4)	Unknown	Tokyo, Japan	East Japan Rookie King Tournament Quarter-Finals
WIN	3-0-0	Unknown	KO	1(4)	Unknown	Tokyo, Japan	East Japan Rookie King Tournament Semi-Quarter-Finals
WIN	2-0-0	Unknown	KO	1(4)	Unknown	Tokyo, Japan	N/A
WIN	1-0-0	File:Japon.png Sakura Kiyoshi	KO	1(4), 1:06	1987-06	Tokyo, Japan	Pro-Debut Boxing Match

Successions

Preceded by	Title	Succeeded by
Richard Bison	WBA Middleweight Champion 1998 - current	Incumbent Undefeated
David Eagle	WBC Middleweight Champion August 27, 1995 - current	Incumbent Undefeated
Bryan Hawk	WBC Junior Middleweight Champion December 20, 1994 - April 28, 1995	Unknown
Yajima Yoshiaki	JBC Middleweight Champion October, 1991 - July 1993	Unknown
Unknown	All Japan Middleweight Rookie King	Unknown
Unknown	East Japan Middleweight Rookie King	Unknown

Appearance

As of a stereotypical description of a Japanese delinquent, Takamura dons a curly pompadour while wearing his school uniform in a more laid back style with a few of the top buttons loose. His eyebrows are considerably thick and he has a tough looking face. Even before joining the Kamogawa Gym, Takamura had a very refined physique. Along with the Kamogawa training regiment, his body is even more refined, having bulging biceps, bulging pecks, and a hardened 6-pack stomach.

Even with his already strict training regiment and natural fitness, Takamura struggles to meet the weight qualifications of the Junior Middleweight Class. In order to do so, he starves and dehydrates himself as add-ons to his training. His appearance drastically changes when this happens; when confronted by Bryan Hawk, Hawk goes so far as to call him a mummy. His stomach and ribs show through his skin, he gets chapped lips and wrinkles, and his skin begins to peel off.

While they are in a training camp with Nekota, he fought a bear and rendered it unconscious, the encounter resulted in the three scars visible on his chest during boxing matches.

Nicknames, etc.

Character	Nickname	Japanese	Translation
Nickname	Nihon no Taka	日本の鷹	The Japanese Hawk
Nickname	Kumagoroshi Takamura	熊殺し鷹村	Takamura the Bear Slayer
Ippo Aoki Kimura Manabu	Takamura-san Lord of Perverts	鷹村さん	see here
Coach Kamogawa Date Most Characters Ringside Announcers Spectators	Takamura Lord of Perverts	鷹村	N/A
Yagi Fuji	Takamura-kun	鷹村くん	see here
Suguru Kyoka	Mamoru	守	N/A
Wataru	Mamoru-niisan	守兄さん	Big Brother Mamoru

Personality

Takamura is brash, sadistic and incredibly cocky. However, other dimensions of his personality have shone throughout the series, the culmination of which is a concerned, insightful, ambitious man.

He is one of the most well-studied characters in the series, having on numerous occasions identified strategies and traits of different boxers in tangent with — and sometimes even ahead of — Coach Kamogawa. He has never fallen into an opponent's trap. Despite this, Takamura does not invent his own tactics during matches, which further exemplifies both his straightforward nature and his boxing talent. Because of this, while he's usually brash and devil-may-care both in the ring and outside of it, he is surprisingly pessimistic and level-headed when watching other boxers' matches, usually anticipating the difficulties his partners are going to encounter.

When Nekota snuck up on him underwater as a joke while at the beach, he ran away in fear believing it to be a real ghost. He also had a very Umezu Kazuo-like face when Tomiko used tarot cards to accurately guess how many times he had masturbated after a fight. There was also an occurance where Takamura challenged Yagi to a fishing competition, resulting in a "No Takamura" sign to be put up next to a "No Yagi" sign. These are all indications of Takamura's deep belief in the supernatural and fear of the unknown.

Another less admirable trait of Takamura's personality is his perverted nature. He has a strong belief he is a ladies' man, despite rather obvious evidence to the contrary and despite fancying himself a ladies' man, rarely actually sees any action. This is due to his abrasive, perverted nature as he once made the newspaper by trying to force himself on a woman and her running away. He is not above spying on couples and groping women and getting peaks at women's panties. During his victory speech against Hawk, he says how the women of Japan should come to him so he may donate his sperm to him In addition, he even often grabs the penises of his fellow boxers and makes inappropriate comments regarding them, particularly towards Ippo.

He can be a rather big bully to his fellow boxers and kouhai. He is fairly childish and egotistic, considering himself the best (which is in fact true) and hates being left out of events or people forgetting to invite him. He can also hold grudges, once attempting to set fireworks against Ippo and the others at the beach because they were shooting fireworks without him and showed a good time and only stopped when they appealed to his ego and said he should come because it wouldn't be fun without him. He can be petty and somewhat a bad sport, as Ippo manages to dodge his punch and right when Ippo is about to land a punch on him during a sparring match, Takamura (in a panic) elbows him (which is illegal in a boxing match).

Even during important matches he has a tendency to play around, such as by using Aoki's "Look Away" technique, labeling a regular uppercut the Beetle's Uppercut in a fight where he wore a beetle costume, and arguing with the spectators when they mock him. In spite of all of this, he is the one who got Ippo, Aoki, and Kimura into boxing, he is well respected at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym. Even though he constantly looks down on and ridicules their achievements, his unrivaled strength and rare moments of kindness have earned him respect from his fellow boxing juniors. He has also occasionally shown concern for Miyata Ichirou and seems to genuinely look forward to Ippo's rematch with him.

While Takamura says that most boxers are "small fries" and talks about them with patronizing contempt, Takamura seems to be genuinely fond/proud of Ippo. He teases him less than the others and in more than one ocassion has asserted that he and Ippo are on a different level than the rest of the boxers from the Kamogawa gym. Also, while he usually seems aloof and derisive of his coaches, it's shown (particularly during matches) that he thinks very highly of coach Kamogawa and his methods. Takamura seems to have unwavering trust on coach Kamogawa's teachings.

Fighting Style

Takamura is the strongest known fighter in the Hajime no Ippo series. He possesses a genius-level boxing talent, to such an extent that Kamogawa Genji stated he was already stronger than the JBC Middleweight Champion when he was first found on the streets, and would've been capable of taking the World Title with or without the Coach's teachings. In his title matches, Takamura showcased incredible power, speed, and durability through the guidance of Kamogawa. Takamura has an extremely destructive fighting style, focusing on constant huge swings that could KO any fighter, if not even kill them.

Takamura's powerful straight right!

Counters are ineffective against him because most of his swings must be either dodged or met in an exchange, an exchange nobody dares to risk.

This fighting style goes hand-in-hand with Takamura's aggressive personality, his ego and his unbeatable arrogance. His anger in fact has such an influence on driving him in each of his fights that one could say anger is the core of his fighting style.

He has been shown to be the perfect combination of technique and instinct, being able to match world champion Bryan Hawk using both. However, brawling is noted to be his natural and most powerful style.

As a veteran boxer, Takamura (unlike many other characters) knows that aiming for the opponent's weakness is not a "dirty move". He has done and expressed it in several occasions.

He has also shown that he has the ability to mimic any move he sees or experienced like Bison's Flicker Jabs, Flicker counter and Ippo's Tornado Jolt.

Techniques

• Orthodox Style
• Brawling Style
• One-Step Straight Punch
• Counter
• Sway
• Bear Slayer Punch
• Look Away variation: Full-Body Look Away (Used once)
• Beetle's Uppercut
• Liver Blow
• Speed Hell
• Flicker Jabs
• Flicker counter
• Hitman Style
• Tornado Jolt

Weaknesses

Takamura's one weakness is his arrogance and temper, as he is able to be easily provoked by many of his opponents, he also has in two occasions felt the compulsive need to finish his fights with 1-Hit KOs (Due to Miyata getting too much attention, and Ippo scoring a 1-Hit KO), which led to him almost losing against opponents a lot weaker than him.

Like Miyata, Takamura is constantly struggling with weight control, so he is prone to losing stamina slightly quicker due to fighting in weight-classes below his natural weight, which is approximately 195 pounds. Aside from that the only times Takamura has been in trouble is when an opponent reads his attacks, but he just keeps trying until he finds a way to connect.

In both his matches with Eagle and Bison, Takamura's right eye (or at least his field of vision on his right side) played a key role in his opponents gaining the upper hand. This suggests he may have a detached retina in his right eye, though this is not confirmed by the manga; Ippo confronted him about it at one point, but Takamura was able to convince him that he had no problems.

Gallery

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Takamura's first ring out, after seeing Bryan infront of him.

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Takamura fighting the bear!

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Takamura's win over the bear.

Takamura's fighting stance.

Takamura's great performance, after he snapped ready to take out Bryan Hawk with a punch he can remember.

Takamura in his training suit.

Takamura ready to fight.

Snapped!.png

Down!.png

Takamura and the WBC Middleweight belt.

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After winning his first title match, he came to the gym with richer clothes.

Takamura boxing attire

Mamoru takamura.jpg

takamura mamoru deviantart

TaKaMuRa

Takamura's Troll Face

Takamura in full rage

Takamura vs Bison

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takamura with his final blow to richard bison

Takamura in the PS3 Video Games

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Won WBA and Retained WBC; round 1120

Takamura PS3 (Different Appearance)

Quotes

• "This is Makunouchi Ippo. He will be a member of this gym starting today." - Episode 2, introducing Ippo to the Kamogawa Boxing Gym.
• "I didn't have anything else to do. I just sorta started doing it... And then, when the applause came pouring down, it was the greatest feeling." - Episode 8, telling Ippo how and why he started boxing.
• "The Japanese Title is just a stepping stone for me. What I really want is to become World Champion." - Episode 17
• "That cocky little mug. I bet you never lost a fight before, have you...? But that's because...I've never been...TO AMERICA!!" -Takamura thinking about Bryan Hawk.
• "You're strong, but your luck was bad. Curse the fact you were born in the same era as me!"-Takamura thinking about Bryan Hawk
• "We're like brothers, right? Just make the old man look good and we're cool." -Ch. 940, p. 14, Cheering up Ippo after his match with Kojima

Trivia

• Takamura is largely based to the first Japanese Middleweight World Champion of the 90s in a very long time by the name of Shinji Takehara, who was also into street fights in his early teens and met with his trainer almost the same way Takamura did with coach Kamogawa. Takehara made his debut on May 15, 1989 with a 4th round KO victory. He went on to win the Japanese Middleweight Title in 1991, defending it three times. Which is alot similar to the way Takamura did it just with a few different things. Winning a world middleweight title had been regarded as impossible for any Japanese boxer, since the division had featured some of the sports best champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Durán, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns. Though Takehara lost in his first defense, William Joppy remained a top middleweight contender for more than seven years after beating Takehara. Joppy remarked before his fight against Félix Trinidad that Takehara punched the hardest of any of the fighters he had faced. Takehara is now known more for his success after retiring from boxing, but his short career has left an important legacy on Japanese boxing. This might happen with Takamura later, he might lose and live up as a very great boxer to the japanese people.
  • Takamura also largely shares alot similarities with boxer, Sugar Ray Robinson who is frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all-time, and other similarities can be with Roy Jones Jr.
  • Worth noting is the fact that Takehara's loss against William Joppy stemmed mainly from retinal detachment, which is the biggest speculation about Takamura that the manga has yet to confirm.
• It's been brought up many times by Itagaki that it seems that Takamura is rushing to get his six weight classes.
• Takamura has been in attendance for all of Ippo's matches.
  • He also played Ippo's second during Ippo's very first spar at the gym, and refereed Ippo's second spar against Miyata.
• Aside from KOing a bear, Takamura has also defeated a troupe of wild monkeys and lifted a small truck without breaking a sweat.
• If you look at Takamura's matches, many of his opponents' names have something to do with animals; most likely in contrast with his name, which means "Hawk".
  • If you look even more closely, his opponent's names also are an pun to famous cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Peter Rabbit, etc.
  • Because Takamura's name means "Hawk" in Japanese, his match against Bryan Hawk contained the self-generated pun Hawk vs Hawk, hence the official title being "The Battle of Hawk".
• Takamura's Japanese voice actor also voices Captain Yamato in Naruto: Shippuden and Stark from  Bleach. Full list of roles here.
• Takamura has no prominent love interests in the series, but on one occasion Ippo visited his house and overheard numerous women berating him on his answering machine about previous dates and engagements.
• In chapter 944 in the manga, Takamura singlehandedly took down Date, Sendou, Mashiba, Saeki and Okita in the bar right after the match with Peter Rabbitson.
• Takamura is technically responsible for inspiring every professional boxer in the Kamogawa Boxing Gym (except Miyata) to join. Revenge against Takamura was the reason for which Aoki Masaru and Kimura Tatsuya joined the gym. He was also the person who brought Ippo (who was the reason for Itagaki Manabu joining) to the gym.
• It is revealed by Ippo that Takamura has smelly feet.
• It is stated by the commentator that Takamura had his first down in his first title match.
• He normally does his roadwork around 6 a.m.
• Coincidentally enough, Koyama Rikiya, Takamura's Japanese voice actor also voices another character in the Japanese video game "Yakuza 5" published by Sega, in which, his character also KO'ed a giant bear 5x times larger than him using nothing but his bare hands. [1]