Masaharu Inami’s Japanese Title Run Led to Two World
Masaharu Inami won the vacant Japanese light flyweight championship by unanimous decision over Tadashi Tomori on November 27, 1980. His domestic title reign led to challenges against world champions Katsuo Tokashiki and Jung-Koo Chang.
Japanese championship success
Inami, whose family name is also read Iha, began his professional record in July 1977. He won All-Japan rookie honors before his first national title challenge, a defeat to Kazunori Tenryu in August 1979.
After defeating Tomori, Inami defended successfully against Hiroyuki Tada, Phoenix Taniguchi and Puma Koya in 1981. Each defense ended in a unanimous decision before he vacated the championship.
The Tokashiki and Chang challenges
Inami challenged Tokashiki for the WBA light flyweight title on July 7, 1982, losing by eighth-round knockout. His WBC championship challenge against Chang on June 11, 1983, ended in a second-round technical knockout defeat.
His compiled professional record contains nineteen victories, five defeats and one draw, with four knockout wins.
Born on August 15, 1958, Inami came from Ishikawa, Okinawa, now part of Uruma. He defeated Noboru Kimishima in his professional debut and Kunio Inayoshi in the All-Japan rookie final. Later decision victories over Kazuyoshi Funaki and Katsumi Sato closed his successful 1981 campaign, before the first of his two unsuccessful world championship challenges.
