Keigo Okita (沖田 佳吾, Okita Keigo) is a coach at the Date gym and a retired featherweight professional boxer who held the East Japan Rookie King title a year before Ippo Makunouchi. Known to view Eiji Date with admiration to the point of mimicking the his fighting style, Okita was the fifth ranker in the JBC before his challenge and subsequent loss against Ippo.
Background[]
Okita viewed Eiji Date as an idol from early in his life. This adoration eventually led to his joining of the Nakadai Boxing Gym and subsequent copying of Date's fighting style and techniques. Okita's skills led him to win the East Japan Rookie King Tournament and the All Japan Rookie King Tournament. He later became ranked fifth in the JBC.
History[]
Part I[]
Two Rookie Kings Arc[]
Okita training with Date.
After Ippo Makunouchi's fist was healed, Eiji Date requested Ippo to spar with him. Okita witnessed the spar, surprised at Date using the Heart Break Shot. When Okita's opening card opponent for Date's upcoming match cancelled, Okita challenged Ippo instead, being jealous that Date would want to spar with Ippo (whom Okita viewed as weaker). At the Nakadai Boxing Gym, Nakadai informed Okita that Ippo accepted the request. As Okita began training, Date asked why he asked to fight Ippo. Okita refused to give any concrete reason. Okita claimed he would not run by winning by a decision and revealed he can perform the Corkscrew Blow as well. After leaving, Okita thought about his upcoming match, knowing that he is fighting out of jealousy, as he could not stand the fact that being from the same class as Date, he chose Ippo to use the Heart Break Shot against.
When the match between Okita and Ippo began, both boxers had an in-fight where neither of them got a clean hit in until Ippo made Okita step back after hitting his guard. Okita used the Corkscrew Blow on Ippo's guard, causing Ippo's guard to break as his hand flung up in the air. Okita feinted a left and Ippo covered his left side as he figured it will be a right, but Okita's right was also a feint. He suddenly went for the body and landed a clean punch on Ippo. After taking many punches, Ippo fell into Okita's trap. With Ippo cornered and defenceless, Okita blew his guard away and threw another Corkscrew Blow aimed right at his face.
Okita being defeated.
Ippo however, dodged the punch and delivered a devastating uppercut that immediately sent Okita back. Ippo threw a punch but missed, giving Okita the chance to hit back. Both fighters began to trade blows without blocking or dodging. After Okita received a body blow Ippo connected a straight, knocking Okita down. After Okita stood back up, with only thirty seconds remaining for the end of the first round, they both threw punches at the same time, but only Ippo landed his. After receiving Ippo's uppercut, Okita began to fall. As he fell, moments of his career start flashing before him, after remembering how much he admired Date's style, Okita managed to hold on to the ropes and remain standing. Ippo charged forward, but Okita threw a left jab causing Ippo to move left. The left Okita threw was revealed to be a feint to set up a final Corkscrew Blow. Realising he can not block in time, Ippo launched an attack as well, but Okita missed his shot due to lingering damage on his legs. Ippo landed his punch on Okita's face, and the latter fell to the canvas. Okita held on to the ropes and began to get up, but despite the cheers and Date's encouragement, he fell again. The referee went over to inspect Okita, and crossed his arms indicating the match was over, resulting in Okita losing. Before leaving the ring, Okita told Ippo that Date will not be as easy. Okita then saw Date and claimed that he would start over as he still has a long way to go in order to reach Date.
Class A Tournament: Speed Star Arc[]
When Date had a sparring session against Takuma Saeki, who was going to be Ippo's opponent in the Class A Tournament, Okita commented on Saeki's speed, claiming that Saeki's technique might be better than Date's. Okita then noticed how Saeki's knees were more bent as a way for avoidance than Date's more standard style and his hand position allows him to hit his opponents right when they lower their guard.
Challenge for the Throne Arc[]
Okita talking with Nakadai about Date.
While Date was sparring to prepare for his upcoming title defence against Ippo, Okita talked to Nakadai about how Date was not underestimating Ippo, however Date was a genius and that if he regained his peak form, it would be unfortunate to be his opponent. Later, during Date's match against Ippo, Okita was one of Date's corner men, where Date would later win.
Revenge Arc[]
Okita fought in the semifinals for Date's WBA featherweight title match against Ricardo Martínez. The match resulted in Okita's victory.
At some point after, Okita took part in the Class A Tournament, where he fought against Iwao Shimabukuro. Okita, despite landing his Corkscrew Blow, was knocked out before he knew what hit him in thirty-two seconds.
Okita later retired from boxing and became a trainer alongside Date.
Part II[]
A Passing Point Arc[]
One of Okita and Date's boxers had a match in the early matches of Mamoru Takamura's WBC middleweight title match against David Eagle. In the end, their four-rounder boxer was defeated. Afterwards, Okita saw Ippo as he talked to Date.
Blind Step Arc[]
Okita and Date meeting Sendō, Saeki, and Mashiba outside Ryōgoku Kokugikan.
Okita and Date arrived to the Ryōgoku Kokugikan to watch Ippo fight in his eighth JBC featherweight title defence match against Kojima Hisato, who talked trash about his opponents, including Okita. Outside the venue, Okita and Date came across Saeki, Takeshi Sendō, and Mashiba. The five got into an argument until they were stopped by Mashiba Kumi, who screamed at them to stop. Okita sat with Saeki, Date, and Sendō as they cheered for ippo as he entered the ring. When Ippo was shadowboxing prior to the gong, Okita noticed that he looked more powerful than usual, and he thought Ippo must have emphasised on strength for the match. He watched the match, which ended in Ippo winning by a one punch knockout in the first round. When the match ended, Okita asked Mashiba that since he was a lightweight if he would go down to a punch from someone two classes higher than him. Mashiba acted hostile towards Okita for the question and disagreed. When the main event began, Okita watched Takamura in his fourth WBC middleweight title defence match against Peter Rabbitson, where it ended in Takamura winning by a one punch knock out in the final twelfth round.
Speed Zone Arc[]
Okita ready to fight Takamura.
After watching Takamura and Ippo defeat Rabbitson and Kojima respectively, Okita went to the Mayweather Bar with Sendō, Date, Saeki, Mashiba, and Kumi to celebrate Takamura and Ippo's victory. When Sendō and Mashiba began to argue, Kumi and Saeki tried to calm them down as Date figured that the two are angry about Takamura's poor performance. As everyone agreed with Date, the group complained about Takamura for his performance and his panda outfit until they notice that Takamura was in the bar with them the entire time. Since Takamura heard everything they said, he acted like he was going to leave before proclaiming that he blocked the door so they couldn't leave. Date's further provocations sparked a bar fight between the group and Takamura, which ended in all five getting knocked out and Kumi having to put bandages on them.
Seeking Heights Arc[]
Okita and Date talking about Takamura's upcoming title defence and Ippo's comeback match.
While Okita was doing mitt practising for someone at the Date gym, Date was reading the latest Monthly Boxing Fan magazine, where it mentioned that Takamura would defend both the WBA and WBC middleweight titles, with the semi-finals being Ippo's return match. Date mentioned to Okita how it is always the same with Takamura, which Okita replied that he stands out so much that it makes the picture of Ippo below him look dull.
Part III[]
Importance of the Support Role Arc[]
Okita at the Date gym during the sparring tournament.
When the Date gym held a sparring tournament for boxers who haven't debuted yet, Okita had two of the gym's students partake in it. When Ippo arrived with his students Kintarō Kaneda and Taihei Aoki, Okita got introduced to them. As the sparring tournament was finishing up, Fujii showed up and revealed to everyone that Sendō was able to down Ricardo in a spar, and that Sendō was going to fight Alfredo, with the winner earning the right to challenge Ricardo. Okita was amazed by the news, and thought that in terms of technique, Alfredo had the edge, but in terms of strength, Sendō was a cut above him. Oda decided to ask Ippo if he could still fight or not, as with Ippo's strength, it is a waste not to fight, adding that since Ippo was his generation's role model, Ippo not fighting is giving them a bad name. However, Okita told Oda that since he retired, he should relate.
Match History[]
| Match History | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Result | Record | Date | Opponent | Location | Time | Type | Notes |
| Retired | ||||||||
| ? | LOSS | ?-2-0 | 1993 |  Iwao Shimabukuro[1]
|
Tokyo, Japan | 1(8), 0:32 | KO | Class-A Tournament Finals |
| ? | WIN | ?-1-0 | 1993-06-27 | Unknown[2]
|
Tokyo, Japan | ?(8) | KO/TKO | "Revenge" Semi-Finals |
| 12 | LOSS | 11-1-0 | 1991-06 | Ippo Makunouchi[3]
|
Tokyo, Japan | 1(10), 2:58 | KO | |
| ? | WIN | ?-0-0 | 1990 | Unknown
|
Tokyo, Japan | 8(8), 3:00 | Decision | All-Japan Featherweight Rookie King |
| ? | WIN | ?-0-0 | 1989 | Unknown
|
Tokyo, Japan | ?(6) | N/A | East Japan Rookie King Tournament Finals |
Successions[]
| Preceded by | Title | Succeeded by |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | All Japan Featherweight Rookie King | Ippo Makunouchi |
| Unknown | East Japan Featherweight Rookie King | Ippo Makunouchi |
Appearance[]
Okita after retiring.
Okita has short black messy hair and small dark-coloured pupils. His nose is long and prominent. After Okita retired, he grew his hair out some, and started having a short moustache. His attire usually consists of a white jacket over a green shirt. In the ring, he wears green boxing shorts.
Personality[]
Okita became a fan of Date during his childhood years and started boxing at the Nakadai Boxing Gym, that same gym in which Date trains. His admiration came to the point of adopting and mimicking Date's styles and techniques. His adoration can be comparable to that of Itagaki Manabu's.
Thinking of Date as an unbeatable figure, Okita quickly becomes jealous of anyone sparring with Date and quickly challenges them out of blind jealousy (as shown when Okita challenged Ippo). He seems rather prideful and overconfident, completely assured that his victory would be secured due to his boxing being the same as Date's boxing. However, he has shown respect to his one role model, Date, and would go great lengths to support the latter in his endeavours.
Boxing Abilities[]
Okita's Corkscrew Blow.
Okita fights in an identical style to Date and is a highly orthodox boxer. Like Date, Okita is able to use the Corkscrew Blow. Unlike Date however, he does not possess a sharpened boxing sense nor a tactical or strategical mindset which led to his defeat at the hands of a spirited Ippo. Okita is able to use feints, being able to trick boxers like Ippo.
Weaknesses[]
Okita is simply a watered down carbon copy of Date. In terms of fighting stance and general boxing abilities he is above average, but lacks a tactical mindset and allows his rage and jealousy to cloud his judgement during a match. It is because of this that he lost his match against Ippo.
Etymology[]
- The name Keigo means "good, beautiful" (佳) (kei) and "I, me" (吾) (go).
- Keigo's surname Okita means "offshore, open sea, ocean, high sea/high seas, blue water, main, mare liberum, mid-sea" (沖) (oki) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta).
Gallery[]
