Boxer Sung-Jun Kim: A Tragic Tale of Glory and Despair
Sung Jun Kim (June 3, 1953 – February 3, 1989) was a South Korean professional boxer from Busan. He won the WBC light-flyweight title in 1978 and held it until January 1980.
WBC light-flyweight champion
On September 30, 1978, Kim knocked out Thailand’s Netrnoi Sor Vorasingh in the third round in Seoul to win the WBC light-flyweight championship. He made three successful defenses before losing the title to Japan’s Shigeo Nakajima by unanimous decision over 15 rounds on January 3, 1980. The World Boxing Council’s account of the title win and Asian Boxing’s account of the Nakajima bout document the championship reign.
Career and later life
Kim continued boxing after losing the belt and finished with a professional record of 28 wins, 14 losses, and six draws, including 13 knockouts, according to BoxRec’s record. A contemporary Los Angeles Times report said Kim died by suicide in Seoul on February 3, 1989, and reported that he had Parkinson’s disease. The cited reporting does not establish that the illness caused his death.
Sources
- World Boxing Council: Kim’s 1978 title win
- Asian Boxing: Nakajima’s title fight with Kim
- BoxRec: record and championship reign
- Los Angeles Times: contemporary report on Kim’s death
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
