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JOHN YASUI BW 1929-1935
Hometown - Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
23(11)-18-4
Yasui grew up working in the sugar cane fields with his father and learned to box while in his teens. He turned pro just after boxing was legalized in territorial Hawaii. He was said to have a hard right and a strong chin. After opening his career with a 16-2-1 run, his unpolished defensive skills began to catch up with him. Yasui lost an eight round decision to Midget Wolgast in 1932 that wasn't much of a fight, but John's chin kept him in it till the end. In 1933, he spent two months in Japan that saw him beat an experienced Kaneo Nakamura and take part in the most bizarre event of his career. His second bout in Japan was against a boxer named Rush Mayo. Yasui dominated and dropped Mayo in the third for a 10 count and the victory. John was in dressing room when, unbeknownst to him, Mayo was making a big stink that he hadn't heard the ref's count and that was why he didn't get up. With the local crowd getting restless, two local gangsters reportedly went into the dressing room and told Yasui that he wouldn't see the morning if he didn't give Mayo another bout right then. So John put his trunks and gloves back on and went out for the "rematch" Yasui beat poor Mayo for six rounds until Mayo's corner threw in the towel. John returned to the dressing room for a second time with two wins under his belt. Upon his return to Hawaii, he lost a ten round decision to Speedy Dado and then took a trip to California that started the end of his career. On the mainland, he lost a number of lopsided bouts including two to Johnny Pena and one to Al Citrino. He returned to Hawaii as a broken boxer, only fighting a few more times before quitting the ring. Some years later, he did get back into boxing as an amature coach and received a lifetime achievement award from the Hawaiian Golden Gloves Association for his work. In a 45 bout career, Yasui was never stopped.
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