Katsushige Kawashima
Encyclopedia
is a retired professional boxer
who fought in the super flyweight
division. He is a former WBC
super flyweight champion.
and WBA
minimumweight
champion Hideyuki Ohashi
in 1995, and made his professional debut on February 20, 1997, with a 2nd round knockout victory. He lost a 6-round decision in only his 6th professional fight, but steadily compiled wins to challenge Jesse Maca for the OPBF super flyweight title on December 11, 2000. The bout resulted in a 12-round unanimous decision loss for Kawashima.
Kawashima first entered the WBC
rankings in 2001 with a 10-round decision victory over former WBA super flyweight champion Yokthai Sithoar. He challenged the Japanese super flyweight title the following year, and won his first title by split decision over 10 rounds. He defended the title once before returning it.
On June 23, 2003, Kawashima got his first shot at a world title against WBC super flyweight champion Masamori Tokuyama
, but lost by unanimous decision over 12 rounds. He challenged Tokuyama for the second time a year later on June 28, 2004, and scored a surprising 1st round knockout only 1 minute and 47 seconds into the bout to win the WBC super flyweight title. Tokuyama had defended the title 9 times before this loss.
Kawashima scored three knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision victory in his first world title defense on September 20, 2004. On January 3, 2005, he fought undefeated Jose Navarro
for his second defense, and won a controversial split decision to retain his title. One judge had scored 11 of 12 rounds in favor of Navarro, while the other two scored it closely in favor of Kawashima, who was cut over both eyes for most of the fight.
Kawashima met Masamori Tokuyama
for the third time on July 18, 2005, for his third defense of the world title. Kawashima managed to knockdown Tokuyama in the 12th round, but was unable to mount a consistent offense for the rest of the fight as Tokuyama regained his title by unanimous decision.
On September 18, 2006, Kawashima fought Cristian Mijares
for the WBC super flyweight interim title. He managed to knock down his opponent in the 2nd round, but lost a close split decision where two judges scored the fight for Mijares by only one point (114-113), and the other judge scored the fight for Kawashima also by one point. He announced his retirement shortly afterwards, but retracted it on October 19, 2006, when a rematch was organized against Mijares, who had recently been promoted to the regular champion after the retirement of Masamori Tokuyama
. The rematch was held on January 3, 2007, and Kawashima lost by technical knockout in the tenth round after suffering a knockdown which was regarded as a slip by the referee. This was the first time Kawashima had been knocked out in his entire career.
Kawashima announced his retirement for the second time after the second loss to Mijares, but returned to the ring with a 3rd round knockout win on June 4, 2007. He challenged WBA
super flyweight champion Alexander Munoz
as the 7th ranked contender to the title on January 14, 2008, but lost a unanimous decision where he was almost knocked out in the 11th round. He announced his retirement for the third time after the fight. His professional record was 32-7-0 (21KOs).
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who fought in the super flyweight
Super flyweight
Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight...
division. He is a former WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
super flyweight champion.
Biography
Kawashima joined the boxing gym of former WBCWorld Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
and WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
minimumweight
Minimumweight
Minimumweight is a weight class division in combat sports. The most notable of which is in professional boxing where boxers may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new weight category for professionals, first inaugurated by the major boxing sanctioning bodies between 1987 and 1990...
champion Hideyuki Ohashi
Hideyuki Ohashi
Hideyuki Ohashi is a former professional boxer and two-time minimumweight world champion.- Professional career :...
in 1995, and made his professional debut on February 20, 1997, with a 2nd round knockout victory. He lost a 6-round decision in only his 6th professional fight, but steadily compiled wins to challenge Jesse Maca for the OPBF super flyweight title on December 11, 2000. The bout resulted in a 12-round unanimous decision loss for Kawashima.
Kawashima first entered the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
rankings in 2001 with a 10-round decision victory over former WBA super flyweight champion Yokthai Sithoar. He challenged the Japanese super flyweight title the following year, and won his first title by split decision over 10 rounds. He defended the title once before returning it.
On June 23, 2003, Kawashima got his first shot at a world title against WBC super flyweight champion Masamori Tokuyama
Masamori Tokuyama
is a retired professional boxer in the super flyweight division. His professional record was 32-3-1 . He is a former WBC world super flyweight champion....
, but lost by unanimous decision over 12 rounds. He challenged Tokuyama for the second time a year later on June 28, 2004, and scored a surprising 1st round knockout only 1 minute and 47 seconds into the bout to win the WBC super flyweight title. Tokuyama had defended the title 9 times before this loss.
Kawashima scored three knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision victory in his first world title defense on September 20, 2004. On January 3, 2005, he fought undefeated Jose Navarro
José Navarro (boxer)
José Navarro is a professional boxer who competes in the Flyweight division. Navarro participated at the Summer Olympics in 2000 in Sydney, Australia. He is of Mexican descent.-Amateur career:...
for his second defense, and won a controversial split decision to retain his title. One judge had scored 11 of 12 rounds in favor of Navarro, while the other two scored it closely in favor of Kawashima, who was cut over both eyes for most of the fight.
Kawashima met Masamori Tokuyama
Masamori Tokuyama
is a retired professional boxer in the super flyweight division. His professional record was 32-3-1 . He is a former WBC world super flyweight champion....
for the third time on July 18, 2005, for his third defense of the world title. Kawashima managed to knockdown Tokuyama in the 12th round, but was unable to mount a consistent offense for the rest of the fight as Tokuyama regained his title by unanimous decision.
On September 18, 2006, Kawashima fought Cristian Mijares
Cristian Mijares
Cristian Ricardo Lucio Mijares is a Mexican professional boxer. Mijares is the former WBC, WBA and current IBF Super Flyweight Champion. Cristian is the older brother of undefeated prospect Ricardo Mijares and the nephew of world title contender Vicente Mijares.-Early life:Cristian comes from a...
for the WBC super flyweight interim title. He managed to knock down his opponent in the 2nd round, but lost a close split decision where two judges scored the fight for Mijares by only one point (114-113), and the other judge scored the fight for Kawashima also by one point. He announced his retirement shortly afterwards, but retracted it on October 19, 2006, when a rematch was organized against Mijares, who had recently been promoted to the regular champion after the retirement of Masamori Tokuyama
Masamori Tokuyama
is a retired professional boxer in the super flyweight division. His professional record was 32-3-1 . He is a former WBC world super flyweight champion....
. The rematch was held on January 3, 2007, and Kawashima lost by technical knockout in the tenth round after suffering a knockdown which was regarded as a slip by the referee. This was the first time Kawashima had been knocked out in his entire career.
Kawashima announced his retirement for the second time after the second loss to Mijares, but returned to the ring with a 3rd round knockout win on June 4, 2007. He challenged WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
super flyweight champion Alexander Munoz
Alexander Muñoz
Alexander Muñoz is a professional boxer in the super flyweight division, nicknamed "El Explosivo."- Boxing career :...
as the 7th ranked contender to the title on January 14, 2008, but lost a unanimous decision where he was almost knocked out in the 11th round. He announced his retirement for the third time after the fight. His professional record was 32-7-0 (21KOs).