Kōji Kobayashi
小林 光二
Born (1957-08-27) 27 August 1957
Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Statistics
Weight(s)Flyweight
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
StanceSouthpaw
Boxing record
Total fights31
Wins24
Wins by KO15
Losses4
Draws3

Kōji Kobayashi (小林 光二, Kobayashi Kōji, born August 27, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional boxer who is a former WBC and lineal flyweight champion.

Early life

Kobayashi was poor at sports in his childhood. He was a slow runner, and lacked in arm strength. He began boxing at Tanabe Boxing Gym while studying design at Tokyo Designer Gakuin College after graduating from high school, and transferred to Kadoebi Houseki Boxing Gym after a year.[1]

Professional career

Kobayashi made his professional debut with a third round knockout victory in December 1978. He won the annual Japanese boxing series, East Japan Rookie King Tournament in the flyweight division by knocking out the future Japanese featherweight champion Hiroyuki Kobayashi at the Korakuen Hall in December 1979. However, he was knocked out by Jirō Watanabe in the first round of the final match of All-Japan Rookie King Tournament at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in February 1980. He then had a fifteen-fight winning streak including ten knockouts over the former world ranked boxer Facomron Vibonchai, the national champions of Thailand, Philippines, Korea and others.[1]

On January 18, 1984, Kobayashi fought against Frank Cedeño for the WBC and lineal flyweight titles at the Korakuen Hall.[2] For that fight, Isamu Mitsuhira, the former trainer of Kyokutō Boxing Club to which Yoshiaki Numata belonged, served as his special coach.[3] Kobayashi, who appeared in the ring while listening to the music with the Walkman,[1][4] knocked out Cedeño flooring him four times with his left crosses and left hook in the second round to be crowned the new champion.[5][6]

In his first defense in April 1984, he was knocked out by the mandatory challenger[4] Gabriel Bernal in the second round at the Korakuen Hall.[7][8] Kobayashi moved up in weight division and was poised to be a two division champion, but lost to Kazuo Katsuma via a twelfth round stoppage in the WBC junior bantamweight title eliminator in March 1985. He retired after a two-fight losing streak.

Professional boxing record

31 fights 24 wins 4 losses
By knockout 15 4
By decision 9 0
Draws 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
31 Loss 24–4–3 Yoshiyuki Uchida TKO 7 (10) 1985-08-27 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
30 Loss 24–3–3 Kazuo Katsuma TKO 12 (12) 1985-03-05 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
29 Win 24–2–3 Joe Shiranui UD 10 (10) 1984-12-01 City Gymnasium, Tsuruga, Japan
28 Win 23–2–3 Kap Dong Park UD 10 (10) 1984-10-16 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
27 Win 22–2–3 Allan Makitoki MD 10 (10) 1984-06-19 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
26 Loss 21–2–3 Gabriel Bernal KO 2 (12) 1984-04-09 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Lost WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
25 Win 21–1–3 Frank Cedeno TKO 2 (12) 1984-01-18 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Won WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
24 Win 20–1–3 Rord Mitsuru TKO 7 (10) 1983-07-07 Kinki University Auditorium, Osaka, Japan
23 Win 19–1–3 Chan Soo Jung TKO 5 (10) 1983-04-19 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
22 Win 18–1–3 Rodrigo Saonoy UD 10 (10) 1982-11-05 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
21 Draw 17–1–3 Jackal Maruyama UD 10 (10) 1982-09-03 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
20 Win 17–1–2 Jong Chul Park RTD 5 (10) 1982-06-04 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
19 Win 16–1–2 Flash Jagdon UD 10 (10) 1982-03-06 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
18 Win 15–1–2 Phaktai Lipovitan KO 4 (10) 1981-11-21 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
17 Win 14–1–2 Jiro Takada TKO 7 (10) 1981-08-04 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
16 Win 13–1–2 Facomron Vibonchai KO 2 (10) 1981-05-10 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
15 Win 12–1–2 Nobuo Horigome KO 4 (10) 1981-04-07 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
14 Win 11–1–2 Fujimi Wada KO 2 (8) 1981-02-03 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
13 Win 10–1–2 Hirohisa Iino KO 6 (10) 1980-12-16 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
12 Win 9–1–2 Nobuo Horigome PTS 8 (8) 1980-11-08 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
11 Win 8–1–2 Kazuyoshi Funaki KO 1 (8) 1980-08-29 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10 Win 7–1–2 Yoshiaki Kanda PTS 6 (6) 1980-04-14 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
9 Loss 6–1–2 Jiro Watanabe KO 1 (6) 1980-02-21 Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan
8 Win 6–0–2 Hiroyuki Kobayashi KO 2 (6) 1979-12-23 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
7 Win 5–0–2 Mutsuo Watanabe PTS 4 (4) 1979-09-21 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
6 Win 4–0–2 Koichi Togashi KO 3 (4) 1979-07-20 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
5 Win 3–0–2 Shinji Takagi KO 2 (4) 1979-05-07 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
4 Win 2–0–2 Junichi Ota PTS 4 (4) 1979-03-23 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
3 Draw 1–0–2 Kiyomi Sato PTS 4 (4) 1979-02-23 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2 Draw 1–0–1 Mutsuo Watanabe PTS 4 (4) 1979-01-04 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1 Win 1–0 Ryutaro Abe KO 3 (4) 1978-12-12 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Post retirement

Currently Kobayashi teaches sports as a civil servant in Katsushika.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Naoki Fukuda (January 15, 2000). "小林光二〜衝撃的な王座奪取の下町のヒーロー〜". In Boxing Magazine editorial department (ed.). The Glorious Moments 究極の栄光・世界チャンピオン名鑑 – 日本ボクシング史に輝く41人の男たち. B.B.mook; 117, sports series; No.72 (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-4-583-61076-4.
  2. ↑ "Kōji Kobayashi - Lineal Flyweight Champion". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia.
  3. ↑ Seiichi Ashizawa (September 25, 2004). 酔いどれ芦沢記者の「想い出の名勝負」（63）鈴木正雄さん (in Japanese). boxing.jp. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Boxing Magazine editorial department, ed. (March 1, 2004). "小林光二". 日本プロボクシングチャンピオン大鑑 (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 978-4-583-03784-4.
  5. ↑ UPI (January 18, 1984). "Cedeno loses title". Reading Eagle. p. 37. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  6. ↑ Baseball Magazine Sha 2002, p. 103.
  7. ↑ "PP&T (People, places and things); Braves' Perez released from prison – Bernal wins". The Day. April 9, 1984. p. 27. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  8. ↑ Baseball Magazine Sha 2002, p. 104.

Bibliography

  • Boxing Magazine editorial department, ed. (May 31, 2002). 日本プロボクシング史 世界タイトルマッチで見る50年 (Japan Pro Boxing History – 50 Years of World Title Bouts) (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. pp. 103–104, 295. ISBN 978-4-583-03695-3.
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