Akinobu Hiranaka


Akinobu Hiranaka is a Japanese former boxer. He was a world champion boxer in the Light welterweight division. He won the WBA Junior Welterweight championship of the world in 1992, and competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
He is one of the few Japanese champions that lacked financial backing from large gyms or television companies, and he had to personally negotiate with opponents to land a shot at the world title.

Amateur career

Hiranaka won an amateur boxing tournament in high school, training at the local Ryukyu boxing gym. He continued boxing at Nippon University, and fought in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics while attending. He had a successful amateur career, making 37 of his 43 wins by knockout.

Olympic results

Welterweight (– 67 kg), 1984

Professional career

Hiranaka's success in the amateur ring made him one of Japan's best prospects in the light welterweight division. He won the Japanese light welterweight title in only his fourth professional fight, knocking out his opponent in the 6th round. Hiranaka became the WBA's top-ranked fighter in the light welterweight division, but lack of financial support made it difficult for him to challenge the world title. He had to defend the Japanese light welterweight title 9 times before finally getting a fight at the world stage.
Hiranaka challenged Juan Martin Coggi of Argentina in Italy on April 29, 1989, for the WBA title. Hiranaka knocked Coggi down twice in the third round. However, Hiranaka lost by a decision for the first loss of his career. This match was controversial for the decision with excessive favor to the Italian-Argentine boxer Coggi, while Coggi was knocked down by Hiranaka.
Even after losing, Hiranaka retained his world ranking, and waited for another chance for the world title. However, Hiranaka spent three years without a title match, and did not fight at all in 1990.
Hiranaka finally got his second chance in April 1992, fighting in Mexico City against Puerto Rican world champion, Edwin Rosario. Hiranaka surprised onlookers by knocking out the champion only 92 seconds into the first round. He immediately pinned the champion against the ropes, and landed a furious array of punches, until the referee saw that the champion Edwin Rosario had been knocked unconscious while standing up. This fight remains as the shortest world title match in the light welterweight division.
Despite making an epic entrance onto the world stage, Hiranaka lost his title after only five months to Morris East from the Philippines. Hiranaka had led the fight going into the 11th round, but was knocked out in an unexpected blow from the challenger. This knockout was named the 1992 Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year. Hiranaka was diagnosed with an intracranial hemorrhage after the fight, and was forced into retirement. His record was 20-2-0. He also has the highest KO percentage of any Japanese world champion boxer.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
22Loss20–2Morris EastTKO11 1992-09-09Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, JapanLost WBA super lightweight title
21Win20–1Edwin RosarioTKO1 1992-04-10Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City, MexicoWon WBA super lightweight title
20Win19–1Kwon Shik KimKO5 1991-01-29Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
19Win18–1Boy MasuayTKO8 1989-11-23City Gymnasium, Urasoe, Japan
18Loss17–1Martín CoggiUD12 1989-04-29Palazzo Dello Sport, Vasto, ItalyFor WBA super lightweight title
17Win17–0Yoshihiro YamamotoPTS10 1989-03-07Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
16Win16–0Tricky KawaguchiTKO5 1988-07-21General Exhibition Arena, Kitakyushu, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
15Win15–0Seiji NagasawaKO1 1988-05-31Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
14Win14–0Tadafumi MiuraKO1 1988-04-24Daini Junior High School Gym, Ishigaki, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
13Win13–0Eiji KikuzakiKO2 1988-01-26Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
12Win12–0Tetsuya ManakaTKO8 1987-10-13Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
11Win11–0Naoki ItoKO1 1987-08-11Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
10Win10–0Archie GarciaTKO5 1987-06-16Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
9Win9–0Yoshifumi KitajimaPTS10 1987-03-15City Gymnasium, Naha, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
8Win8–0Nilo AcidoTKO7 1986-12-14Gushito Gym, Okinawa, Japan
7Win7–0Makoto ItoKO2 1986-08-17City Gymnasium, Ginowan, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
6Win6–0Masahiro TanabuKO5 1986-05-01Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese super lightweight title
5Win5–0Teruhide NishidaKO1 1986-04-06City Gymnasium, Okinawa, Japan
4Win4–0Masahiro TanabuKO6 1986-01-09Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanWon Japanese super lightweight title
3Win3–0Thai SuracharernKO2 1985-10-02Onoyama Gym, Naha, Okinawa, Japan
2Win2–0Naomi ToKO4 1985-06-30Sakuranomiya Skating Rink, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
1Win1–0Kazumi YokoiKO1 1985-03-24Konan High School Gym, Naha, Japan

Post retirement

He now runs the Hiranaka Boxing School Gym in Okinawa, and has taught boxing at Seido Kaikan. Deceased K-1 champion Andy Hug trained at Hiranaka's gym in Okinawa before the K-1 Grand Prix tournament.