Toshiaki Nishioka - Rivalry and Injuries

Rivalry and Injuries

In June 2000, Nishioka challenged the WBC bantamweight champion Veeraphol Nakonluang-Promotion in Takasago, Hyōgo, and lost via a unanimous decision. He had belonged to the JM Kakogawa Gym until that fight, and has been managed by the Teiken Boxing Gym in Tokyo under Akihiko Honda's supervision and Yūichi Kasai's guidance since September 2000.

The second world title shot was watched by 12,000 spectators at the Yokohama Arena in September 2001, and was a very close fight in which the scores were 115–113 for Nishioka, 116–113 for Veeraphol, and 114–114 even. Nishioka suffered an Achilles tendon rupture twice during that year. In December 2002, he returned to the ring for the first time in fifteen months to gain a first round knockout victory at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. However his style was totally different from the previous one. He challenged Veeraphol for the third time at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in October 2003, but the result was a draw by a hometown decision. In his fourth world title shot against Veeraphol in March 2004, he lost via a unanimous decision by a wide margin of points at the Saitama Super Arena.

After that defeat in 2004, Nishioka received a greeting card, with the Japanese message Kono michi yori ikiru michi nashi (この道より生きる道なし?) written by painter Atsumu Yamamoto; the phrase can be interpreted as: "No way to live other than this way", which encouraged him. While Honda advised him to retire, and set subsequent matches to convince him, Nishioka, who had remained aloof and proud as a boxer and had not trained with gym mates, decided to run with younger fellow boxers to strengthen his mind. He also attended Marco Antonio Barrera's training camp on the West Coast of the United States.