Masashi Kudo
Encyclopedia
Masashi Kudo is a former professional boxer. He was the WBA
light middleweight
champion
from 1978-1979.
title in his 6th professional fight. He defended the title 8 times before returning it.
In 1978, he moved down to the light middleweight
division to challenge Eddie Gazo
for the WBA
light middleweight
title. Kudo won by 15 round split-decision, becoming the second Japanese boxer to capture the light middleweight
title since Koichi Wajima
.
Kudo defended his title three times from 1978 - 1979 before losing to undefeated challenger Ayub Kalule by unanimous decision for his only professional loss. He announced his retirement after the fight at only 28 years of age. His record was 23-1-0 (12KOs).
Kudo was possibly one of the least technically skilled champions in boxing
history. He ended his career without ever throwing a hook or uppercut, relying solely on a jab and straight right. He compensated for his lack of skill by displaying an enormous amount of stamina and strength, and retired without suffering a single knockdown.
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...
light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
from 1978-1979.
Biography
Kudo was an amateur wrestler during high school, and only became a professional boxer when he failed to make the Japanese Olympic wrestling team for the 1972 Munich Olympics. He made his professional debut in May, 1973, and won the Japanese middleweightMiddleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
title in his 6th professional fight. He defended the title 8 times before returning it.
In 1978, he moved down to the light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division to challenge Eddie Gazo
Eddie Gazo
Eddie Gazo is a former professional boxer in the super welterweight division.-Pro career:...
for the 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...
light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
title. Kudo won by 15 round split-decision, becoming the second Japanese boxer to capture the light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
title since Koichi Wajima
Koichi Wajima
Koichi Wajima was a professional boxer in the super welterweight division. He is a former WBC and WBA champion.- Childhood and Early Career :...
.
Kudo defended his title three times from 1978 - 1979 before losing to undefeated challenger Ayub Kalule by unanimous decision for his only professional loss. He announced his retirement after the fight at only 28 years of age. His record was 23-1-0 (12KOs).
Kudo was possibly one of the least technically skilled champions in boxing
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...
history. He ended his career without ever throwing a hook or uppercut, relying solely on a jab and straight right. He compensated for his lack of skill by displaying an enormous amount of stamina and strength, and retired without suffering a single knockdown.
See also
- List of WBA world champions
- List of light middleweight boxing champions
- List of The Ring world champions