Takao Sakurai

was a Japanese boxer who won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics.

Amateur career Born in Sawara, Chiba, Sakurai began boxing in high school, keeping his training secret to his parents. Although there was no trainer in his high school, Sakurai won the Japan's inter-high school championship in the bantamweight division in 1960. Then he entered Chuo University, in March, 1965. He won 22 straight fights, His eldest son has also had a successful amateur boxing career, winning a national tournament in the featherweight division.

Sakurai died of esophageal cancer in Tokyo at dawn on January 10, 2012,