Fighting Harada

▪ Japanese boxer

byname of  Harada Masahiko 

born April 5, 1943, Tokyo, Japan

      Japanese professional boxer, world flyweight and bantamweight champion.

      Harada is considered by many to be Japan's greatest boxer. He started fighting professionally in 1960 and won his first 25 matches. Harada suffered his first professional loss in 1962, but on October 12, 1962, he won the world flyweight championship by knocking out Pone Kingpetch in the 11th round. In a January 12, 1963, rematch with Kingpetch, he relinquished the title when he lost a 15-round decision.

      Harada moved up to the bantamweight class and won the championship on May 17, 1965, by defeating Eder Jofre (Jofre, Eder) on a 15-round decision. He successfully defended the bantamweight title by winning four consecutive 15-round decisions, defeating Alan Mudkin on November 30, 1965; Jofre on June 1, 1966; Joe Medel on January 3, 1967; and Bernard Caraballo on July 4, 1967. In Harada's fifth title defense, on February 26, 1968, he lost a 15-round decision to Lionel Rose. Harada then attempted to win the featherweight title, but he lost a 15-round decision to Johnny Famechon on July 28, 1969. He was knocked out by Famechon in the 14th round of their January 6, 1970, rematch, which ended his career. Harada was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995.

* * *