Masahiko “Fighting” Harada - BEST I FACED

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ChrisJS, Mar 20, 2019.



  1. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    From the Ring

    Whatever Masahiko Harada may have lacked compared to the natural talent of his contemporaries, he more than made up for it with his spartan work ethic. In a 10-year professional career that spanned the 1960s, he was flyweight and bantamweight champion during an era of only 10 weight classes.

    After finishing middle school, Harada started to work at a rice store. However, he felt he needed to do something else to bring money into the family.

    “My family was poor,” Harada told The Ring, “and I felt in boxing I could become one of the best in the world without education.”

    The Sasazaki Gym was nearby, and after visiting he joined immediately. Interestingly, he had no amateur career. Just a couple of months shy of his 17th birthday, Harada turned professional.

    “I do not believe I was born with a fighter’s talent and skill,” he said modestly. “When I first started boxing as a professional, there were three of us in the flyweight class that were rivals: Katsutoshi Aoki, Hiroyuki Ebihara and myself. They called us the three crows of the flyweights.

    “Among the three of us, I believe I was the least talented. Ebihara had his ‘razor punch’ and Aoki had his ‘megaton punch’ named after their powerful punches. I think I was able to beat them from training harder than anyone and not losing the will to win.”

    Harada was given the nickname “Fighting” by Takeshi Sasazaki, who was the president of the gym. Harada wanted to fight under a different name and at first he was embarrassed by the moniker, but he got used to it.

    Harada won his first 12 fights before meeting rival Ebihara, besting his compatriot over six rounds. Just over two years into his career, he lost for the first time when he dropped a decision to Mexican gatekeeper Edmundo Esparza in June 1962.

    He got back to winning ways before facing the legendary Pone Kingpetch for the WBA flyweight belt. Harada boxed his way into a lead and punctuated the victory with an 11th-round stoppage to earn his first world title at just 19 years old.

    The Thai paymasters enticed Harada to travel to Bangkok for a rematch just three months later, and Kingpetch exacted revenge with a majority decision to regain his title.

    Having been dethroned, Harada decided to migrate to the bantamweight division. Over the next two years, he went 11-1 (the lone loss was a six-round stoppage at the hands of seasoned veteran Joe Medel). During his march to a title fight, Harada stopped another old rival, Aoki.

    Harada’s backers brought exceptional bantamweight champion Eder Jofre, who was unbeaten in 50 contests (47-0-3), to Japan in May 1965. The classy Brazilian was surprisingly unseated by the swarming, all-action challenger, who eked out a split 15-round decision.

    Harada considers it his most satisfying victory.

    “I am most proud of the fact that I was able to beat a great champion like Jofre,” he said.

    Harada successfully turned back the gallant challenge of Alan Rudkin, then repeated the Jofre victory, this time by unanimous decision, before gaining revenge over Medel and outpointing Bernardo Caraballo. In early 1968, he surprisingly lost his title to Lionel Rose.

    Harada moved up again in weight, this time to featherweight, and traveled to Australia to face WBC beltholder Johnny Famechon.

    The diminutive Japanese fighter gave the Australian all he could handle in a closely fought bout. At the conclusion of 15 rounds, the sole scorer was former featherweight legend Willie Pep, who also refereed the contest. After initially scoring it a draw, Famechon was announced as the winner.

    The WBC pressed for a rematch, and it came six months later in Japan. On this occasion, Famechon stopped Harada in the penultimate round.

    After losing the rematch to Famechon, the Japanese star elected to retire at just 26 with an impressive record of 55-7 (22 knockouts). He remained involved in boxing and opened the Fighting Harada Gym, where he still trains and teaches daily. He also worked as a commentator for Nippon TV. In 1989, he became the president of the Japan Boxing Promoters Association, a role he filled for seven terms over 21 years. In 1996, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

    Fellow Hall of Famer and Japanese boxing doyen Joe Koizumi speaks glowingly of Harada.

    “Fighting Harada used to be our national hero,” Koizumi said. “Everyone knew him, as he always entertained the crowd and TV watchers with his nonstop punching. His fights with Eder Jofre, Joe Medel, Pone Kingpetch, Johnny Famechon were so classic that we will never forget his great impact.

    “Fighting Harada is our fistic symbol.”

    Harada, now 75, is the lifetime honorary chairman of the JBPA. He lives in Yokohama with his wife of 48 years, Iyo. They have two sons.

    He spoke to The Ring about the best opponents he fought in 10 key categories.

    ***

    BEST JAB

    JOSE MEDEL: He hit with a fast and accurate Jab.

    BEST DEFENSE

    EDER JOFRE: Jofre had a very tight peek-a-boo defense, while Medel had very elusive footwork. Though their styles and skills were different, both had excellent defense.

    BEST CHIN

    JOFRE: When I was fighting, there were so many fighters in my weight class that would not go down. It is hard to name just one. If I had to bring up one, it would have to be Jofre. We fought 30 tough rounds and he did not go down. Being able to withstand the powerful Jofre, I have to say I had a pretty good chin myself.

    FASTEST HANDS

    MEDEL: His quick counterpunches were invisible. But if I have to bring up names, Famechon and my first title defense opponent, Alan Rudkin, also had fast hands.

    FASTEST FEET

    JOHNNY FAMECHON: In my first challenge for his title in Sydney, I knocked him down three times. But he had fast running feet, and I was not able to finish him off. After the fight, the lone judging referee (Pep) scored the fight as a draw. But they reversed the verdict after the initial announcement. Still, to this day, I believe I won that fight.

    SMARTEST

    JOFRE: Jofre and Medel both were great boxers. But if I have to choose, I would have to choose Jofre. Medel was great. He was not fearful if you did not go to him. Medel had one win and one loss with me, but he never beat Jofre in the two title challenges he had with him. With Jofre, I won both of my fights. It seems strange.

    STRONGEST

    JOFRE: I had him on the verge of a knockout in the fourth, and he came out in the fifth to have me on the verge of being knocked out. Fierce opponent.

    BEST PUNCHER

    JOFRE: Jofre’s power-punching was beyond description. Katsutoshi Aoki had a great punch, too. I predicted Jofre’s and Medel’s powerful punches. They were sharp, and I was frantic not to get knocked out.

    First fighter to knock me down was Medel. It was not so much the power in his punches, but the ability to time the counterpunches. He was a defensive fighter, and if you did not throw punches, you had no fear of being knocked down – but there would not be a fight, either. So I chose to be the aggressor. I lost the first fight. But it was a different situation when he was the champion. I did not need to go out and throw punches unnecessarily. When I challenged for the championship, I was able to win decisively.

    My rival Aoki could punch. We fought in 1964 and I won in the third round by KO. But in the first round, Aoki hit me with a left that almost would have erased that win. He was a genius puncher. He used to brag that he did not have to train to win. Facing such an opponent, and training harder than anyone, there was no way I would lose. Even though it was a non-title fight, it was selected as the fight of the year in Japan.

    BEST SKILLS

    JOFRE: When I challenged him for the first time in 1965, no one predicted that I would beat the unbeaten champion, and it actually was a tough fight. I had moments where I almost had him out (fourth round), but there were moments where he almost had me out (fifth round). It was like a dream to beat Jofre. Starting with Jofre, my era had many great bantamweight fighters. Because of them, “I have to train harder” is what I told myself as I trained. I am very appreciative of these men for giving me the motivation to be better.

    BEST OVERALL

    JOFRE: Without a doubt, the overall best was Jofre.
     
  2. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Amazing article.

    Interesting comments about the talent. I would've said harada was the most talented, by how he jumped weights and beat the ATG opponents. But I guess that doesn't mean pure talent, necessarily.
     
  3. louis54

    louis54 Well-Known Member Full Member

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  4. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    Harada modest (as you would expect)

    What’s interesting is that he picks all the guys you would think he would, whilst having a good grasp on their skills and styles. Often with these articles you find the fighter being questioned doesn’t seem to get what they’re being asked, or picks opponents for weird reasons (or doesn’t credit the fighters that beat them!) but Mr. Harada gave very thoughtful and interesting answers.
     
  5. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Great read and good to see my dad mentioned. I'd love to meet him for a chat, maybe I will one day.
     
  6. juppity

    juppity Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Johnny Famechon was one Aust best boxer ever.
    This content is protected
     
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  7. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    His dad is Alan Rudkin.

    Agree on Famechon. Excellent boxer.
     
  8. Clinton

    Clinton Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Thank you Chris
     
  9. 88Chris05

    88Chris05 Active Member Full Member

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    Thanks for posting this. Lovely insight from one of the most underrated fighters of all time. Easy to forget he was still only twenty-six when he had his last fight, given his lengthy achievements.

    Great value for money fighter, too. The fights against Kingpetch (II), Jofre (I), Rudkin, Rose and Famechon (I) were all classics of the sixties. Doesn't have a spotless record against those guys, but he was unlucky with judging in the Kingpetch rematch and against Famechon first time out.
     
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  10. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I visited John a few years back at his house in Frankston. We spent a few hours with him talking boxing. A great fighter and a great bloke.
     
  11. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I’m a little surprised no mention of Rose but he did fight some amazing fighters. Harada did give great answers with excellent insight and this IMO was one of the best of this series.

    Harada seems sharp still. Probably helps that he stopped taking punches at 26 and I’m assuming has lived a healthy life. I believe he’s one of the oldest still living IBHOF members. (Jofre, Ortiz, DeMarco, Benvenuti, Napoles probably the only ones older to my memory)
     
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  12. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I really enjoy the Medel fights too. The second is just a proper championship fight. Changes in momentum, intelligence, action, skill. Both were great in that fight.
     
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  13. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    How is this relevant?
     
  14. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I think he thought I was Johnny's son.
     
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  15. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Bumping for this absolutely class thread.
     
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