توریو ریکییشی

Joe's rival in Ashita no Joe.

Tōru Rikiishi is Joe's most personal and significant boxing rival. The two first meet in the juvenile detention center, he was a boxer but was sentenced to the juvenile detention center because he punched an audience member half to death after they said that the match was rigged in Rikiishi's favor, enraging him. Joe challenges Rikiishi without knowing he was once a professional boxer and manages to punch him in the face once before Rikiishi knocks him out in one punch. He is quintessential in motivating Joe to start taking boxing seriously, even if his only reason is to beat Rikiishi in a rematch.

Homeland: Japan

Boxing Style/Stance: Orthodox Stance, No Guard Stance and Brawler Stance

Weight Classes: Welterweight (147 pounds Weight Limit), Lightweight (135 pounds Weight Limit), Featherweight (126 pounds Weight Limit) and Bantamweight (115 to 118 pounds Weight Limit)

Natural Weight: Welterweight (147 pounds)

Speciality/Techniques/Signature Blows: Triple Cross Counter, Powerful Straight Right and Powerful Uppercut

[Spoiler: Rikiishi is widely considered to be one of the most promising rookie boxers in the world, but his career is tragically cut short, as he dies immediately after his and Joe's rematch from his injuries and the toll his extreme weight loss training took on his body.]