Kuniaki Shibata
Encyclopedia
Kuniaki Shibata is a former Japan
ese professional boxer. He is a former WBC
and WBA
super featherweight
champion.
featherweight
title in 1969, but lost by sixth-round knockout. In April 1970 he challenged the vacant Japanese featherweight title, and won by tenth-round knockout. He returned the title to challenge WBC
featherweight
champion Vincente Saldivar, and won the title when Saldivar gave up after the twelfth round.
He made his first defense by first-round knockout, and retained his title in his second defense with a draw, but lost to Clemente Sanchez
in May, 1972.
Shibata moved up to super featherweight
, and got his second world title shot against WBA
champion Ben Villaflor
in Honolulu on March 12, 1973. He won by fifteen-round unanimous decision to capture his second world title.
Shibata made one defense in Japan
before returning to the United States
to fight Ben Villaflor
again for his second defense. Shibata lost by knockout less than 2 minutes into the first round to lose his second world title.
On February 28, 1974, he challenged Ricardo Arredondo
for the WBC
super featherweight
title, and won by unanimous decision for his third world title. He defended the title three times before losing to Alfredo Escalera
in 1975. He attempted another comeback, but announced his retirement in 1977. His record was 47-6-3 (25 KOs).
Shibata was a short and speedy fighter, who took advantage of even the slightest openings to thrown in a flurry of punches. However, he also had a very weak chin, and was very susceptible to counter punches. Five of his six career losses were by knockout. He and former WBC
lightweight
champion Guts Ishimatsu
were gymmates, and both fighters were trained by Eddie Townsend
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional boxer. 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...
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...
super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
champion.
Biography
Shibata made won his debut match in 1965 with a first round knockout, and fought for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing FederationOriental 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...
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:...
title in 1969, but lost by sixth-round knockout. In April 1970 he challenged the vacant Japanese featherweight title, and won by tenth-round knockout. He returned the title to challenge 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...
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 Vincente Saldivar, and won the title when Saldivar gave up after the twelfth round.
He made his first defense by first-round knockout, and retained his title in his second defense with a draw, but lost to Clemente Sanchez
Clemente Sánchez
Clemente "Xicoténcatl" Sánchez was a Mexican boxer.- Pro career :Sánchez turned pro in 1963 and captured the WBC featherweight title with a 3rd round KO over Kuniaki Shibata in 1972...
in May, 1972.
Shibata moved up to super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
, and got his second world title shot against 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...
champion Ben Villaflor
Ben Villaflor
Benjamin Villaflor is a former boxer who was the WBA world junior lightweight champion during the 1970s.-Professional boxing career:...
in Honolulu on March 12, 1973. He won by fifteen-round unanimous decision to capture his second world title.
Shibata made one defense in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
before returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to fight Ben Villaflor
Ben Villaflor
Benjamin Villaflor is a former boxer who was the WBA world junior lightweight champion during the 1970s.-Professional boxing career:...
again for his second defense. Shibata lost by knockout less than 2 minutes into the first round to lose his second world title.
On February 28, 1974, he challenged Ricardo Arredondo
Ricardo Arredondo
Ricardo Arredondo was a Mexican professional boxer. A former WBC Super Featherweight champion, he was the brother of two-time World Light Welterweight champion, Rene Arredondo.-Pro career:...
for 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...
super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
title, and won by unanimous decision for his third world title. He defended the title three times before losing to Alfredo Escalera
Alfredo Escalera
Alfredo Escalera is a Puerto Rican who was a world champion boxer. A native of Carolina, his nickname was "Salsero" because he was a fan of Salsa music.-Early boxing career:...
in 1975. He attempted another comeback, but announced his retirement in 1977. His record was 47-6-3 (25 KOs).
Shibata was a short and speedy fighter, who took advantage of even the slightest openings to thrown in a flurry of punches. However, he also had a very weak chin, and was very susceptible to counter punches. Five of his six career losses were by knockout. He and 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...
lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
champion Guts Ishimatsu
Guts Ishimatsu
is a former boxing world champion from Kanumashi, Japan. After retiring from boxing, he has gained popularity as an actor and comedian.As a boxer, he was known for his unpredictable style, sometimes marking completely unpredicted victories, and often losing in extravagant fashion as well...
were gymmates, and both fighters were trained by Eddie Townsend
Eddie Townsend
Edward "Eddie" Townsend was an American professional boxing trainer.He is revered in Japan for training several boxing world champions. An award given to boxing trainers was established in his honor, and a boxing gym in Osaka, bears his name.-Biography:Townsend was born to an American father and a...
.