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SHOJI MARUYAMA

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Shoji grew up in Osaka, Japan. He was always an athlete beginning as a high school baseball star. He starred on the all Japan team was on track for professional baseball. Unfortunately his father passed away and he was forced to change his focus to supporting his mother. He joined the military which is where Shoji started boxing. After his military service was finished he moved to Tokyo. There he started fighting in bare knuckle fights in the Tokyo underground betting scene. He was approached at one of the fights by one of the coaches of ChuteBoxe . They had just opened the chutboxe academy in Tokyo. He was chosen to be the first Japanese pro fighter. After about a year the Tokyo Chuteboxe Academy closed their school so it was go to Brazil or find another team for Shoji .So Shoji and his friend, coach Rambosan, started training all around Tokyo and entered the Pancrase circuit. in 2008 after only one year Shoji was given a title shot and won the lightweight championship. Shoji is recognized as one of the most exciting young fighters in Japan. At 24 years old, Shoji Maruyama is just getting started