Former WBC lightweight champion, Ishimatsu, passed away from pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo.

Ishimatsu was born in Tochigi, in central Japan on June 5, 1949. His birth name was Yuji Suzuki. He grew up in the countryside in a poor family. As a child, it wasn't boxing that he liked — he wanted to be a professional baseball player.

It was when he was 12 years old, watching countryman and Hall of Famer, Fighting Harada, that his interest in boxing piqued. He never fought as an amateur and turned professional at 17 in the fall of 1966.

Early in his career, Ishimatsu looked anything but a future world champion, initially going a pedestrian 12-5-4, with 9 knockouts, in his first 21 fights.

Ishimatsu quit in some fights and appeared to lack guts. It was at this point a friend made a suggestion that had huge ramifications for his career.

"My friend name me Guts Ishimatsu," he once told me. "To inspire me to show more guts in fights. Ishimatsu came from "Mori no Ishimatsu," a famous professional gambler from the Edo period, who, in Japanese culture, is often romantizied as a chivalrous "Robin Hood figure."

Not wanting to dishonor the name, he morphed into a far more courageous boxer, winning four fights to set up his first title opportunity. He travelled to Panama and took on skilled WBA/WBC lightweight champion, Ismael Laguna, on June 6, 1970. Although he gave a good account of himself, he was no match for the more experienced champion, who stopped him in 13 rounds.

A second title shot back in Panama, this time against Roberto Duran on September 8, 1973. Again, he put up a spirited effort before being stopped in 10 rounds.

Just seven months later, the Japanese pay-masters tempted WBC lightweight titlist Rodolfo Gonzalez to Tokyo. Ishimatsu rose to the occasion and stopped the Mexican in eight rounds.

Ishimatsu retained the WBC belt five times, turning back the challenges of, among others, Gonzalez (KO 12) in a rematch and former beltholder Ken Buchanan (UD 15).

In May, 1976, he travelled to Puerto Rico and lost to Esteban De Jesus by wide unanimous decision.

In one final attempt, Ishimatsu stepped up to junior welterweight and was stopped in six rounds by Thai southpaw Saensak Muangsurin.

He walked away from boxing only to make an ill-advised comeback 14 months later, dropping a points decision before again retiring for good, bringing the curtain down on his 15-year career with a record of 31-14-6, 17 KOs.

In retirement he appeared in several movies, including "Empire of the Sun" and "Black Rain," as well as a host of Japanese films.

Ishimatsu is survived by his wife, three children and two grandchildren.