Shigeo Nakajima: Japan’s WBC Light-Flyweight Champion
Shigeo Nakajima was a Japanese light-flyweight boxer from Yūki, Ibaraki. He became WBC world champion on January 3, 1980, when he outpointed Sung Jun Kim in a 15-round bout in Tokyo. His reign lasted less than three months. BoxRec’s profile and the Japanese World Boxing Champions Club profile identify his division and title.
A short world title reign
Nakajima turned professional in 1976 after a successful amateur career. In January 1980, he defeated reigning WBC light-flyweight champion Sung Jun Kim by unanimous decision to win the belt. Asian Boxing’s career profile notes that Nakajima had compiled an 80–15 amateur record and won the world title in his 16th professional bout.
Two fights with Hilario Zapata
On March 24, 1980, Panama’s Hilario Zapata took the title from Nakajima with a 15-round unanimous decision in Tokyo. They met again on September 17; Zapata stopped Nakajima in the 11th round. The WBC title-fight record lists both results. The video above is from their first meeting.
Retirement
Nakajima returned to the ring in 1981 but lost by knockout to Japanese boxer Nobuyuki Watanabe and retired soon afterward. He finished with 13 wins, five losses and one draw. His claim to boxing history is the brief WBC light-flyweight reign, rather than featherweight titles or an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Sources
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
