Fighting Harada

Fighting Harada was a Japanese two-division world champion of the 1960s, long considered Japan's greatest boxer before the rise of Naoya Inoue.

Masahiko Harada, known as Fighting Harada, was born on April 5, 1943, in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo. He turned professional at just 16 in February 1960 and won his first 25 fights, earning a shot at the world flyweight title against Thailand's Pone Kingpetch in October 1962, which he won by 11th-round knockout at age 19. He lost the belt back to Kingpetch just three months later in a rematch. Harada moved up to bantamweight, and on May 17, 1965, produced the signature win of his career, outpointing the legendary undefeated Brazilian champion Eder Jofre over 15 rounds in Nagoya to become world bantamweight champion. He defended the title four times, including a rematch win over Jofre in 1966, before losing the crown to Australia's Lionel Rose on a decision in February 1968. Harada then attempted to become a three-division champion, challenging featherweight king Johnny Famechon of Australia in July 1969. Despite dropping Famechon three times, Harada lost a controversial decision, and was stopped in a rematch six months later, ending his career. He retired with a record of 55 wins and 7 losses (some sources list 56-7), and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995. He went on to become president of the Japan Boxing Association and remained a beloved figure in Japanese sport, cited as a childhood idol by future Puerto Rican great Wilfredo Gómez.

Relentless, high-pressure attacking style with excellent conditioning and stamina

A foundational figure in Japanese boxing history and an international idol who inspired later champions across weight divisions

• World flyweight champion (1962-1963)
• World bantamweight champion (1965-1968)
• International Boxing Hall of Fame (1995)
• Ring Magazine's 32nd Greatest Boxer of the Past 80 Years (2002)