Hiroyuki Ebihara: The Legendary Japanese Flyweight Champion
Hiroyuki Ebihara (1940–1991) was a Japanese flyweight boxer from Tokyo Prefecture, known for his hard left hand and two reigns as a world champion.
Boxing career and major results
Ebihara stopped Pone Kingpetch in the first round in Tokyo in September 1963 to win the WBA, WBC and The Ring flyweight titles. Kingpetch regained the championships on points in their January 1964 rematch. Ebihara later challenged Horacio Accavallo twice for the WBA title, losing both bouts on points.
After Accavallo retired, Ebihara won the vacant WBA flyweight title with a unanimous decision over José Severino in March 1969. He lost the belt to Bernabé Villacampo that October in his final professional bout. Ebihara retired with a record of 62 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw, including 33 knockouts. He died in Tokyo in 1991, aged 51.
His championship wins and repeated returns to the top secured Ebihara’s place among Japan’s notable boxing champions.
Ebihara’s title history was unusually compressed: he reached the top with a first-round stoppage, lost the championships in a rematch, then worked back to another world title five years later. His final bout ended with the belt changing hands again. The 62–5–1 record and 33 knockouts give that rise-and-return arc useful context.
Sources
- Japan Pro Boxing Association: World champion archive
- BoxRec: Hiroyuki Ebihara career record and title history
- Cyber Boxing Zone: Hiroyuki Ebihara profile
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
