Fuji May Outdo Bond

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 15

Fuji May Outdo Bond

In spite of his recent defeat of Janies Bond in the film, “You Only Live Twice,” the Samoan-born wrestler, Peter Fanene Maivia, may not find things all his own way when he meets the 2601 b Japanese wrestling-karate-judo exponent, Shintaro Fuji, at Canterbury Court this evening.

Fuji, aged 32, has won the Canadian tag-team title, with Professor Hero, the Northwest championship (United States) and the Hawaiian Belt during his travels for bouts in the United States,

Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia and Hawaii. Fuji, a married man with three children, drew with Gene Kininski on the two occasions that he challenged for Kininski’s world wrestling title. His career began in Japan eight years ago, but most of his bouts have been in the United States where he fought for six years. His meeting with Maivia will be their first bout and the first that Fuji, or any other Japanese wrestler for more than 30 years, has fought in this country. •

Karate, judo and Sumo (Japanese) wrestling have also taken much of Fuji’s time. He holds a black belt (three dan) in judo and a similar award for karate. Fuji’s pre-fight thoughts are of victory; he “always expects to win.” He will meet Maivia again in Dunedin and Timaru before further bouts in the North Island. The bout between Fuji and Maivia will be preceded by the meeting of the Australasian heavy-weight champion, Steve Rickard, and Dick Zoloniski, of Poland, and several amateur bouts.