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JIRO WATANABE vs. Gustavo Ballas
vs. Rafael Pedroza
vs. Gilberto Roman
vs. Rafael Pedroza
vs. Gilberto Roman
Jiro Watanabe Fights on DVD
$19.95
$19.95
Fights in the set include:
Jiro Watanabe (渡辺二郎, Watanabe Jirō?, born 16 March 1955) is a Japanese former boxer who was considered by
many, along with Yoko Gushiken, to be one of the two best world champions to come out of Japan.
Watanabe, who campaigned 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.
Biography
He started his professional boxing 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 of 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 Venezuelan 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.
many, along with Yoko Gushiken, to be one of the two best world champions to come out of Japan.
Watanabe, who campaigned 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.
Biography
He started his professional boxing 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 of 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 Venezuelan 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.