is a retired professional boxer from Japan and a former WBA lightweight champion.

Kobori won the Japanese super featherweight title on January 14, 2006 by knocking out Keita Manabe in the second round. He went on to defend it 6 times.

Later, he won 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...

 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....

 title by knocking out Nicaraguan José Alfaro

José Alfaro

José Alfaro is a Nicaraguan boxer with a record of 20-3-0-1 who captured the vacant WBA lightweight title against Thai Prawet Singwancha in a split decision on December 29, 2007 in Bielefeld, Germany. He later lost that title on May 19, 2008 to Yusuke Kobori who knocked him out in only 3 rounds...

 in the 3rd round on May 19, 2008. Kobori, became Japan's third world champion at lightweight and first since Takanori Hatakeyama

Takanori Hatakeyama

is a former professional boxer.Hatakeyama turned pro in 1993 and captured the WBA Super Featherweight Title in 1998 with a majority decision win over Yong Soo Choi. He lost the belt in 1999 to Lakva Sim via TKO, and moved up in weight to capture the WBA Lightweight Title with a TKO win over...

 in 2000.

Kobori attempted to defend his title against Paulus Moses on January 3, 2009. He, however, lost the match and the crown by unanimous decision.

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