Mom, 44, becomes oldest boxer in Japan
TOKYO -- A 44-year-old mother of two won approval Friday to become Japan's oldest professional boxer, saying she has trained to compensate for her physical shortcomings.
Kazumi Izaki, a fitness club instructor, was among 20 women who were awarded licenses by the Japan Boxing Commission, which for the first time issued permits to female boxers.
Izaki, who will turn 45 in March, won Japan's female flyweight championship in 2004, although the tournament was not officiated by the national commission.
"After you turn 40, you get far-sighted and you wither physically," she told reporters after her test bout Thursday. "But I should be able to compensate for it with the other high-level qualities that I have."
Izaki, who has two daughters aged 21 and 14, is among Japan's most experienced female boxers, some of whom have fought international bouts despite not being licensed by the national commission.
Among the others issued licenses Friday were Emiko Raika, who has been the featherweight and lightweight champion under the Women's International Boxing Association and the superlightweight champion under the International Female Boxers Association.
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