Masashi Kudo (boxer)


Masashi Kudo is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1979. He held the WBA and lineal super welterweight titles from 1978 to 1979.

Biography

Kudo was an amateur wrestler during high school, and only became a professional boxer when he failed to join the Japanese Olympic wrestling team for the 1972 Munich Olympics. He made his professional debut in May, 1973, and won the Japanese middleweight title in his 6th professional fight. He defended the title 8 times before returning it to Japanese Boxing Commission.
In 1978, he moved down to the light middleweight division to challenge Eddie Gazo for the WBA and lineal light middleweight titles. Kudo won by 15 round split-decision, becoming the second Japanese boxer to capture the world light middleweight crown since Koichi Wajima.
Kudo defended his title three times including against Korean contender Ho Joo, 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.
Kudo was possibly one of the least technically skilled champions in boxing history. He compensated for his lack of skill by displaying an enormous amount of stamina and strength, and retired without suffering a single knockdown.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
24Loss23–1Ayub KaluleUD15Oct 24, 1979City Gymnasium, Akita City, Akita, JapanLost WBA and The Ring junior-middleweight titles
23Win23–0Manuel Ricardo GonzalezTKO12 Jun 20, 1979City Gymnasium, Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan Retained WBA and The Ring junior-middleweight titles
22Win22–0Manuel Ricardo GonzalezMD15May 14, 1979Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, JapanRetained WBA and The Ring junior-middleweight titles
21Win21–0Ho JooSD15Dec 13, 1978Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, JapanRetained WBA and The Ring junior-middleweight titles
20Win20–0Eddie GazoSD15Aug 9, 1978City Gymnasium, Akita City, Akita, JapanWon WBA and The Ring junior-middleweight titles
19Win19–0Katsuo EsashiPTS10May 2, 1978JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
18Win18–0Katsuo EsashiRTD3 Oct 31, 1977Japan
17Win17–0Peter NanbokuKO9 Sep 6, 1977Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
16Win16–0Saburo SakaiKO7 Jul 2, 1977Kumagaya, Japan
15Win15–0Yuichiro WatanabePTS10May 3, 1977JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
14Win14–0Saburo SakaiKO9 Jan 30, 1977Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
13Win13–0Nessie HoriguchiPTS10Sep 26, 1976Japan
12Win12–0Yuichiro WatanabeKO3 Jun 27, 1976JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
11Win11–0Saburo SakaiKO1 Mar 28, 1976Japan
10Win10–0Takeshi IzumiKO4 Jan 27, 1976Okinawa, JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
9Win9–0Yuji MiyagoshiUD10Nov 30, 1975JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
8Win8–0Yuji MiyagoshiPTS10Jul 18, 1975JapanRetained Japanese middleweight title
7Win7–0Takeshi WatanabePTS10Jun 1, 1975Japan
6Win6–0Nobuyoshi OzakiPTS10Mar 2, 1975JapanWon vacant Japanese middleweight title
5Win5–0Cassius NaitoPTS10Jul 29, 1974Gifu, Japan
4Win4–0Seiji NagaiKO4 Dec 27, 1973Japan
3Win3–0Hachiro KuroishiKO2 Dec 3, 1973Japan
2Win2–0Keiji MiyawakiKO3 Sep 30, 1973Japan
1Win1–0Toshio OkiRTD3 May 18, 1973Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan