Jiro Watanabe
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese former boxer
Watanabe, who fought only in Japan
and South Korea
, was one of the first World Super flyweight
champions, as the division was relatively new when he was crowned.
career with a three round knockout
over Keiza Miyazaki. The fight was in Okayama, Watanabe's birthplace. Two first round knockout wins followed, one over Yukihiro Kawahira, and another over Noburu Iishi. There was an immediate rematch with Iishi, and, although the second time around Iishi gave him a tougher test, nevertheless, Watanabe still came out a winner, by a knockout in six.
Three more knockouts followed, two in the first round, including one over Koji Kobayashi
, brother of former world champion Royal Kobayashi
. Then, Watanabe was taken the distance for the first time, against Jin-Hyun Chun in Nagoya, Watanabe winning a six round decision.
After two more decision wins, Watanabe flew to South Korea, where he challenged the WBC
world Jr. Bantamweight champion Chul-Ho Kim
, losing in his first world title bid by a 15 round decision. Watanabe then returned to Japan and won his remaining four bouts for 1981 there, three by knockout.
One of the fighters he beat was Tito Abella, who by then had been ranked as the number one Jr. Bantamweight challenger in the world. Abella was knocked out in four rounds.
On April 1982, the WBA
Jr. Bantamweight champion of the world, Rafael Pedroza of Panama
, the cousin of Eusebio Pedroza
, travelled to Osaka
to defend his belt against Watanabe on 8 April. Watanabe won a unanimous 15 round decision and became world champion. Watanabe's remaining fights of 1982 were title defenses against former world champions, Gustavo Ballas of Argentina
, knocked out in nine rounds, and Shoji Oguma
(former two time world Flyweght champion), beaten by a knockout in 12.
1983 was another busy year for the champion: He beat Luis Ibañez
of Perú
by a knockout in eight, Roberto Ramirez
of Mexico
by a decision in 15, and Soon-Chun Kwon by a technical decision in 11. Watanabe had built a considerable points lead over Kwon, but in round ten, their heads collided, causing a gap in Watanabe's head. He bled profusely, and the fight doctor ordered the fight to be stopped in round eleven, but since it was ruled that the cut was the product of a headbutt, the fight then went to the scorecards, and Watanabe was declared the winner.
In 1984, Watanabe disposed of another Venezuela
n challenger, Celso Chavez, by knocking him out in 15 rounds. Then, he and WBC world champion Payao Pooltarat in an attempt unify the world's Jr. Bantamweight title, and Watanabe finally earned the WBC's belt, winning by a 12 round decision. For failing to defend the title against the WBA's #1 contender Khaosai Galaxy
of Thailand, the WBA did not recogonize the fight and would strip Watanabe of the WBA title. There was an immediate rematch, and Watanabe again imposed his will, with an 11 round knockout over the former world champ.
In 1985, he retained the title with a 12 round decision over Julio Soto Solano. Wins over Katsuo Katsuma (KO 7) and Suk-Hwan Yun (KO 5) followed, but in 1986, he defended against the late Gilberto Roman
in what would turn out to be his last fight. He lost to Roman by a 12 round decision and announced his retirement from professional boxing. Unlike so many others, he was able to stay away from the temptation of coming back and trying to regain his old popularity.
Watanabe's successor for the WBA title would be Galaxy. Galaxy would win the vacant title Eusebio Espinal and also go on to become a Jr. Bantamweight and reel off 19 straight title defenses before retiring.
In 1999, Watanabe was spotted at a Seoul
activity honoring Asia
's greatest boxing champions, alongside Fighting Harada
, Jung-Koo Chang, Gushiken, Sot Chitalada
, and former rivals Chul-Ho Kim and Pooltarat, among others.
In August 1995, he was arrested for blackmail
. He ran an import business in Osaka
, and threatened the debtors by saying that he would beat them to death. Police suspended judgment on the matter, so he was released.
In October 1999, he was arrested for giving a gun to a friend who was prosecuted for murder
. In July 2000, he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment.
After being released in 2004, he was arrested for blackmail along with Kenji Haga
, ex-actor, and a yakuza
of Yamaguchigumi, on 30 June 2007. He has denied the suspicion, but Japan Boxing Commission banished him on 27 July 2007. His trial is still in progress.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Watanabe, who fought only in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, was one of the first World Super flyweight
Super flyweight
Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight...
champions, as the division was relatively new when he was crowned.
Biography
With a background in Shotokan Karate, he started his professional boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career with a three round knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
over Keiza Miyazaki. The fight was in Okayama, Watanabe's birthplace. Two first round knockout wins followed, one over Yukihiro Kawahira, and another over Noburu Iishi. There was an immediate rematch with Iishi, and, although the second time around Iishi gave him a tougher test, nevertheless, Watanabe still came out a winner, by a knockout in six.
Three more knockouts followed, two in the first round, including one over Koji Kobayashi
Kōji Kobayashi (boxer)
is a retired Japanese boxer who is a former WBC flyweight champion. As of August, 2011, he is Japan's latest world champion who was certified by The Ring.Kobayashi was poor at sports in his childhood. He was a slow runner, and lacked in arm strength...
, brother of former world champion Royal Kobayashi
Royal Kobayashi
, better known as Royal Kobayashi, is a retired Japanese boxer who competed at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in the featherweight division, and won the WBC junior featherweight title in 1976...
. Then, Watanabe was taken the distance for the first time, against Jin-Hyun Chun in Nagoya, Watanabe winning a six round decision.
After two more decision wins, Watanabe flew to South Korea, where he challenged the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Jr. Bantamweight champion Chul-Ho Kim
Chul-Ho Kim
Kim Chul-Ho is a former boxer from South Korea.In 1981, Kim became the WBC Super Flyweight champion with a 9 round KO win over Rafael Orono in San Cristóbal, Venezuela. He defended the belt five times before losing it to Rafael Orono in 1982.-External links:...
, losing in his first world title bid by a 15 round decision. Watanabe then returned to Japan and won his remaining four bouts for 1981 there, three by knockout.
One of the fighters he beat was Tito Abella, who by then had been ranked as the number one Jr. Bantamweight challenger in the world. Abella was knocked out in four rounds.
On April 1982, the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
Jr. Bantamweight champion of the world, Rafael Pedroza of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, the cousin of Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza is a native of Panama who holds two records in boxing: His 19 defenses as world featherweight champion are a record for that division, and his seven years as world champion non-stop are a division record too...
, travelled to Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
to defend his belt against Watanabe on 8 April. Watanabe won a unanimous 15 round decision and became world champion. Watanabe's remaining fights of 1982 were title defenses against former world champions, Gustavo Ballas of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, knocked out in nine rounds, and Shoji Oguma
Shoji Oguma
Shoji Oguma was a Japanese southpaw boxer at Flyweight.- Professional career :Oguma turned pro in 1970 and in 1974 won the WBC Flyweight Title by winning a split decision over Betulio González. He lost the title three months later in his first defense against Miguel Canto...
(former two time world Flyweght champion), beaten by a knockout in 12.
1983 was another busy year for the champion: He beat Luis Ibañez
Luis Ibáñez
Luis Ezequiel Ibáñez , nicknamed Lucho, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a left back or left winger for Dinamo Zagreb in the Prva HNL....
of Perú
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
by a knockout in eight, Roberto Ramirez
Roberto Ramírez
Roberto Sanchez Ramírez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher currently pitching for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. He played two seasons in the majors, pitching in 21 games for the San Diego Padres in 1998 and 34 games for the Colorado Rockies in 1999. He joined the...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by a decision in 15, and Soon-Chun Kwon by a technical decision in 11. Watanabe had built a considerable points lead over Kwon, but in round ten, their heads collided, causing a gap in Watanabe's head. He bled profusely, and the fight doctor ordered the fight to be stopped in round eleven, but since it was ruled that the cut was the product of a headbutt, the fight then went to the scorecards, and Watanabe was declared the winner.
In 1984, Watanabe disposed of another Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n challenger, Celso Chavez, by knocking him out in 15 rounds. Then, he and WBC world champion Payao Pooltarat in an attempt unify the world's Jr. Bantamweight title, and Watanabe finally earned the WBC's belt, winning by a 12 round decision. For failing to defend the title against the WBA's #1 contender Khaosai Galaxy
Khaosai Galaxy
Khaosai Galaxy is a former professional Thai super flyweight boxer and Muaythai kickboxer. Khaosai defended his WBA world title 19 times in seven years , winning 16 of his title fights by knockouts. A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame he is widely considered as one of the greatest...
of Thailand, the WBA did not recogonize the fight and would strip Watanabe of the WBA title. There was an immediate rematch, and Watanabe again imposed his will, with an 11 round knockout over the former world champ.
In 1985, he retained the title with a 12 round decision over Julio Soto Solano. Wins over Katsuo Katsuma (KO 7) and Suk-Hwan Yun (KO 5) followed, but in 1986, he defended against the late Gilberto Roman
Gilberto Roman
Gilberto Román was a Mexican boxer in the Super Flyweight division and a member of the 1980 Mexican Olympic team. Román was a two-time WBC Super Flyweight Champion and is considered by many fans to be one of the great champions in this division...
in what would turn out to be his last fight. He lost to Roman by a 12 round decision and announced his retirement from professional boxing. Unlike so many others, he was able to stay away from the temptation of coming back and trying to regain his old popularity.
Watanabe's successor for the WBA title would be Galaxy. Galaxy would win the vacant title Eusebio Espinal and also go on to become a Jr. Bantamweight and reel off 19 straight title defenses before retiring.
In 1999, Watanabe was spotted at a Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
activity honoring Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
's greatest boxing champions, alongside Fighting Harada
Fighting Harada
Masahiko Harada , better known as Fighting Harada, is a former world boxing champion. He is currently the president of the Japanese boxing commission....
, Jung-Koo Chang, Gushiken, Sot Chitalada
Sot Chitalada
Sot Chitalada in Chonburi, Thailand, was formerly twice WBC Flyweight Champion.Chitalada built a reputation as a Muay Thai in name Chaovalit Sithphrabrahma champion in Thailand before making the transition to professional boxing...
, and former rivals Chul-Ho Kim and Pooltarat, among others.
In August 1995, he was arrested for blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
. He ran an import business in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and threatened the debtors by saying that he would beat them to death. Police suspended judgment on the matter, so he was released.
In October 1999, he was arrested for giving a gun to a friend who was prosecuted for murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. In July 2000, he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment.
After being released in 2004, he was arrested for blackmail along with Kenji Haga
Kenji Haga
, better known as , is a mixed-race entertainment talent, actor and businessperson from Okinawa, Okinawa. Haga was born to an American father and an Okinawan mother...
, ex-actor, and a yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
of Yamaguchigumi, on 30 June 2007. He has denied the suspicion, but Japan Boxing Commission banished him on 27 July 2007. His trial is still in progress.
Career
- WBA World Junior bantamweight (8 April 1982 - 5 July 1984)
- WBC World Junior bantamweight (5 July 1984 - 30 March 1986)