Best Japanese Fighter?

It's Harada by a long shot..followed by Yoko Gushiken.

 

Shinji Takehara, of course.

 

Harada
Gushiken/Watanabe

 

Masao Ohba deserves mention..for the tier after Harada and Gushiken.

 

Ohba has a strong argument to be above gushiken.

Beat more good fighters and did it in an original 8 weightclass while being the man.Never lost his belt in the ring, while Gushiken went out with a whimper after losing to poor opponent, fair enough he wasn't right at the weight and was jaded with boxing, but it's still a half-assed way to go.

Gushiken is another of those junior weight titlists that cheated themselves by not fighting at the more prestigious weight when they clearly had the build and skills to make a go of it.

 

Some believe that Harada was the greatest Asian fighter until the recent emergence of another swarmer from another island nation over there.

 

Yes, and Shirai, along with Ceferino Garcia and Gus Lesnevich, is the only modern inductee remaining in the Ring BHOF who's not also in Canastota. I figure Ceferino's induction is imminent, something to happen in the next couple of years. (Probably next year, with Hearns being the only major new name on the ballot.) Shirai's also already been on the ballot, and my guess is that his cause will be boosted considerably by his Ring HOF status, enough to get him into Canastota sometime in the next five years.

 

Definitely. It would appear Gushiken's starting his overrated phase on ESB Classic.

 

Ebihara would be higher for me as well.

I don't agree with the whoever has the stronger record should rate higher line of thinking, but when you're not too confident A was inherently better than B it is a handy tie-breaker.

Ebihara had excellent talent, fought and beat stronger opponents, while arguably never being clearly beaten in his prime.

Gushiken or Watanabe is down to personal choice.no contentious pick there imo.

 

Won't argue with any of the picks here for best, but will add that Kuniaki Shibata was a favorite of mine. I always love a fighter with an obvious flaw that can compensate for it. His jaw let him down against the big bangers (Hawkins, Sanchez, Villaflor and Escalera) but he could dust himself off and beat on another banger by watching his guard, boxing, then banging (Saldivar, Villaflor I, Arredondo). The dude had class.

Scartissue

 

How about Koichi Wajima ?
very good fighter or just good ?

 

Harada. No debate.

 

Just shy of being "very good" because of his lack of a good chin.

 

:deal

 

Not "some." That was almost the universal consensus since the emergence of Pacquaio. And I think Harada was still greater. He was un-beateable at his natural weight (flyweight), and he beat the superior opposition, too.