Takeshi Sendo
General:
Birth date: May 5, 1972
Homeland: Japan, Osaka.
Occupation: Professional Boxer, Marketplace Owner (with grandmother)
Weight Class: Featherweight
Height: 167.5 cm (5'5")
Reach: 168 cm (66")
Style In Fighter: Brawling Style, Crouching Style
Stance: Brawling Stance
Current Affiliation: Naniwa Kentou-kai
Trainer: Yanaoka
Details:
He is a Featherweight boxer from the Naniwa Kentou Boxing Gym and a former JBC Featherweight Champion. He played the main antagonist during the events of championship road, serving as the second Japanese champion Ippo faced for the title.
Sendou's father was a fireman who died while saving the life of a child. Like Ippo, Sendou looked up to his father greatly, and this loss inspired him to try to be as strong as his father.
Sendo is an In Fighter with arm strength on par with Makunouchi Ippo. To date, he is the only boxer to face Ippo more than once in the pro ring and is his chief rival. Sendo is a featherweight and his most well known move is his powerful smash. He greatly admires boxer Rocky Marciano, to the extent that he will personally point out that he is not the same "Rocky" from the film of the same name. He is also a fan of Takamura Mamoru.
He is first introduced watching a tape of Makunouchi Ippo's spectacular KO victory against Mashiba Ryou and, fired up by the tape, decides to go visit Tokyo for a match against Ippo. He leaves half-disappointed however when he learns of Ippo's broken fist, but declares hopefully to Ippo that he would be "waiting for [him] in Osaka'" when the time comes for their match, accidentally leaving a bag of souvenirs at the station upon his leave.
Since young, Sendou was known to be rude and problematic, having lead his own delinquent gang in the streets. However, it is mentioned by his grandma that Sendou did so to protect innocent civilians from other delinquent gangs. He and his grandmother run a market place.
Disheartened, Sendou does not put much effort into his training until a package arrives in the mail, along with a letter from Ippo stating that they may be able to have their match after all. Renewed by the prospective match Sendou quickly jumps back into intense training, waiting for the day of his match against Ippo.
Despite all his training for the match, Sendou ultimately loses consciousness in his own corner before the start of the fourth round. However, both fighters agree that unless one collapses in the ring, the fight remains unfinished. The two fighters then anxiously wait for the day of their rematch.
Sendou is seen again after Date Eiji's relinquishing of the JBC Featherweight belt. He wins a very close, and controversial, victory by decision against Volg Zangief to acquire the vacant title. His first title defense is against Saeki Takuma, whom he KO's with little difficulty. Afterwards, he is pitted against Shigeta Akira, whose provocations of his and Ippo's style of boxing led Sendou to beat Akira so ferociously that he contracted a fear of being punched (and presumably retired) thereafter. Sendou and Ippo then have their promised rematch for the belt. He once again loses, this time by way of knockout from his 'rival'.
Sendou has a semi-final match before Takamura's world title unification bout against Richard Bison. Because he brawled with Mashiba in the waiting room before the fight, he enters the ring with bruises on his face. He is up against a Mexican World ranker once again, Jose Nargo who is fairly strong as he is ranked 5th in the WBA, who is already called a champ. Also this time to defend his position of being ranked 4th in the WBA. Jose Nargo dominated Sendou for most of the match because of his experience with sparring Ricardo Martinez. After the 8th round, when Sendou saw Ricardo's Manager, Bill Stewart as his second, he then pushes Jose to the corner and using his knuckles started to press into Jose's stomach aggressively, causing extreme pain and giving Sendou the opportunity to knock Jose out. Sendou defends his ranking of being 4th in the WBA, and might proceed to a title match. After defeating Jose Nargo, he then speaks to Bill Stewart, telling him to give a warning to Alfredo Gonzalez, which shocks Bill as he expected the warning to be given to Ricardo. He then goes back to the room, to watch the match of Takamura with Mashiba. To this point they seem to be okay with each other and not fighting as they discuss how tough Richard Bison is, but they will continue after this match as they say with each other silently...
Sendo is modeled after the real-life "Naniwa Rocky", boxer turned actor Akai Hidekazu.
Current Record
Rank: 4th (WBA) 9th (WBC)
Total fights : 22
Wins: 20
Wins by KO: 19
Losses: 2
Draws: 0
Championships: West Japan Rookie King, JBC Featherweight champion
Pictures
Mangaography
