Top 10 Japanese Fighters

Kuniaki Shibata is a good name... better than good. 56-6....

Took a KO 13 victory over Vicente Saldivar in 1970, to claim the WBC Feather crown.. Defended twice before losing KO by3 to Clemente Sanchez.

Moving to JL/W, he outpointed Ben Villaflor for the WBA crown... defending once before losing a rematch with Villaflor... the very first punch KO'd him....

Not to give up, four months later, Feb '74 he took the WBC jL/W title from Ricardo Arrendondo.... defended it 3 times, all over the 15 round journey, before losing to Alfredo Escalera...

His record is worthy of ATG status, as most fans see it today. A good fighter, with a great heart..... no chin????

 

Shoji Oguma would be a lock for top 10 for mine.

Japan's first world champ Yoshio Shirai also deserves consideration for the top 10.

Though their careers didn't end up amounting to much, guys like Kiyoshi Tanabe and Eijiro Murata looked exceptional for a short while.

Hopefully RB and Mantequilla can help us make some order of these guys.

 

W.a.R... the details of his career dont neccessarily make for a convinceing performance in some aspects..

If we take into account the modern performances, and the days of Shibatas... suddenly, a little respect must be given.....especially by beating Saldivar, who 'robbed' Fammo..

His abilities were tested whilst moving to the higher division, and he duely managed to claim both WBC and WBA titles, alas... he also managed to lose the titles just as quickly... and more convinceingly. In a way, his personal record is second to few of recent times.. and a great record for Japanese fighters.

 

Speaking of Oguma, I was just wondering, has anyone seen his third fight with Chan Hee Park?

I just saw the first two encounters yesterday, and I thought Park actually won the rematch by three points in what turned into a real war in the second half. So to my mind they are 1-1. How did the third fight go? One I will endeavour to see myself, but it would be good to know how it resulted, to have an idea of where to place him amongst the Japanese elite.

Getting a top 10 for these guys is extremely hard. Japan has had a lot of fighters who are on roughly the same level and its hard to distinguish them.

 

1) Fighting Harada

2) The rest.

 

Yeah that's pretty much all our starting points. Get's hairy pretty quick.

 

Pretty true though really.

Wasn't there a guy who won the LWW title in like his 4th fight??? Think he was Japanese. He retired fairly quickly as well, can anyone recall this guy?

 

No, it was before that. Bear with me I'll search it up. :good

 

I think you thinking of Saensak Muangsurin, Another Thai.

 

Saensak Muangsurin (born August 13, 1950) is a retired professional boxer from Phetchabun, Thailand. He is a former WBC light welterweight champion, who set a world record by winning the world title in only his 3rd professional fight.

There you go, he WAS Thai.