 That is because the West Japan Boxing Association to which Takayama and Ken'ichi Yamaguchi belonged strongly urged reform of the system after they issued retirement notices.Takayama then trained at his fellow boxer Ken'ichi Yamaguchi's Osaka Tenjin Boxing Gym in Japan and ALA Boxing Gym in the Philippines, and was promoted by ALA Promotions since April 2010.He won an IBF minimumweight title eliminator via a sixth round technical knockout at the Carnival City in Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa in September 2010.