Ji Won Kim
Encyclopedia
Ji-Won Kim (born 6 August 1959 in Seoul
) was a South Korea
n boxer who was an unbeaten world champion in the super bantamweight
division.
(-51 kg) gold medal at the Asian Junior Amateur Boxing Championships in Karachi
, Pakistan
.
In 1979, Kim won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the CISM Amateur Boxing Championships
in Caracas
, Venezuela
, beating Oudahi Mohammad Amin of Algeria
via first round knockout in the final bout.
In February 1980, Kim participated in the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
held in Bombay, India
. There he captured the gold medal in the flyweight
division. In April 1980, Kim won the flyweight gold medal at the King's Cup Boxing, beating future World Amateur Boxing Championship
bronze medalist Constantin Titoiu
of Romania
in the final bout.
In 1981, Kim won the bantamweight
gold medal at the King's Cup Boxing, defeating future Commonwealth Games
gold medalist Hussein Khalili of Kenya
in the final.
defeated Chan-Jung Chun for the Korean super bantamweight title. Four months later he fought Little Bangoyan for the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
(OPBF) title, capturing it with a twlve-round decision. For the next year Kim made five defenses of his OPBF title against the likes of Lito Cortez (KO 2), Rolando Navarro (PTS 12), and Fel Malatag (TKO 6).
On 3 January 1985, he fought countryman and reigning International Boxing Federation
super bantamweight
champion Sung-In Suh
. Kim won via a tenth round stoppage. Kim would make four successful defenses of his title against future WBO
featherweight
champion Ruben Dario Palacios
(W15, 30 March 1985), former IBF
super bantamweight
champions Bobby Berna (KO 4, 28 June 1985) and Sung-In Suh (KO 1, 9 October 1985), and Rudy Casicas (KO 2, 2 May 1986).
In December 1986, he retired from boxing in order to become a theatrical actor and singer, finishing with a record of 16 wins, no losses, and two ties, both ties coming from the same boxer. He would become one of the few world champions to retire undefeated.
winning actress, and one brother, Ji-Woon
who is a world-acclaimed filmmaker.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
) was a South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n boxer who was an unbeaten world champion in the super bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
division.
Amateur career
Kim began garnering attention in 1978 when he won the flyweightFlyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
(-51 kg) gold medal at the Asian Junior Amateur Boxing Championships in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
In 1979, Kim won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the CISM Amateur Boxing Championships
International Military Sports Council
The International Military Sports Council or Conseil International du Sport Militaire , established 1948, is one of the largest multidisciplinary organisations in the world...
in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, beating Oudahi Mohammad Amin of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
via first round knockout in the final bout.
In February 1980, Kim participated in the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
The Asian Amateur Boxing Championships is the highest competition for boxing amateurs in Asia. The first tournament took place in 1963, hosted by Bangkok, Thailand.- Men's Asian Amateur Boxing Championships History :...
held in Bombay, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. There he captured the gold medal in the flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
division. In April 1980, Kim won the flyweight gold medal at the King's Cup Boxing, beating future World Amateur Boxing Championship
1982 World Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 1982 World Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Munich, West Germany from May 4 to 15. The third edition of this competition, held two years before the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, was organised by the world governing body for amateur boxing AIBA.- Medal winners...
bronze medalist Constantin Titoiu
Constantin Titoiu
Constantin Titoiu is a retired amateur boxer from Romania. At the 1982 World Amateur Boxing Championships he won the bronze medal in the flyweight division . In the semifinals he was beaten by eventual silver medalist Michael Collins of the United States. He also received a bronze medal in the 1983...
of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in the final bout.
In 1981, Kim won the bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
gold medal at the King's Cup Boxing, defeating future Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
gold medalist Hussein Khalili of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
in the final.
Pro career
On 17 May 1983 the southpawLeft-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
defeated Chan-Jung Chun for the Korean super bantamweight title. Four months later he fought Little Bangoyan for the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian and Pacific region.-History:The OPBF was formed in 1954 by the Japanese, Korean, and Filipino boxing commissions...
(OPBF) title, capturing it with a twlve-round decision. For the next year Kim made five defenses of his OPBF title against the likes of Lito Cortez (KO 2), Rolando Navarro (PTS 12), and Fel Malatag (TKO 6).
On 3 January 1985, he fought countryman and reigning International Boxing Federation
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
super bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
champion Sung-In Suh
Sung-In Suh
Sung-In Suh is a former boxer from South Korea.-Pro career:In 1984, Suh became the IBF Super Bantamweight champion by beating Bobby Berna via a tenth round TKO. He defended his title once before losing it to Ji-Won Kim by a tenth round KO in 1985.-External links:...
. Kim won via a tenth round stoppage. Kim would make four successful defenses of his title against future WBO
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion Ruben Dario Palacios
Rubén Darío Palacios
Ruben Dario Palacios was a Colombian boxer.- Professional career :...
(W15, 30 March 1985), former IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
super bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
champions Bobby Berna (KO 4, 28 June 1985) and Sung-In Suh (KO 1, 9 October 1985), and Rudy Casicas (KO 2, 2 May 1986).
In December 1986, he retired from boxing in order to become a theatrical actor and singer, finishing with a record of 16 wins, no losses, and two ties, both ties coming from the same boxer. He would become one of the few world champions to retire undefeated.
Personal life
Kim has one sister, Ji-Sook, the Grand Bell AwardGrand Bell Awards
The Grand Bell Awards is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea....
winning actress, and one brother, Ji-Woon
Kim Ji-Woon
Kim Ji-woon is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Kim Ji-woon has a history of successfully tackling a wide range of film genres, garnering a cult following among Asian films fans all over the world.-Career:...
who is a world-acclaimed filmmaker.