 Though Takehara lost in his first defense, William Joppy remained a top middleweight contender for more than seven years after beating Takehara.Joppy remarked before his fight against Félix Trinidad that Takehara punched the hardest of any of the fighters he had faced.Takehara is now known more for his success after retiring from boxing, but his short career has left an important legacy on Japanese boxing.