One KO Wonders: Akinobu Hiranaka

[BoztheMadman]

This Japanese light welterweight puncher is an anomaly in boxing history. Virtually unknown, having just one world title fight loss under his belt, he produced one of the greatest upsets in modern boxing history by destroying and knocking out the great Edwin Rosario in ONE round in 1992, winning the WBA title. He however failed to build on that incredible performance and lost the title in his first defense- ironically to another one ko wonder, Morris East. 
 

Akinobu Hiranaka was born 14 November 1963 in Yaese, a small town on the island of Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost. He stands 5’7” tall and has a reach of 70 inches. He started boxing in high school and won an amateur tournament there, training at the local Ryukyu gym. He continued boxing while attending the Nippon university and also participated at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, getting eliminated in the second round, against future welterweight champion Genaro Leon, on points. Turning pro in March 1985, he won the Japanese title in his only fourth pro fight, knocking out Masahiro Tanabu in 6 rounds. He made nine defenses of the Japanese title and then, he challenged the reigning WBA champion Juan Martin Coggi of Argentina for the title. On 29 April 1989, they fought in Italy and the Japanese underdog surprised everyone when he knocked Coggi down twice in the third round and looked like the better man in many rounds, only to controversially lose by a ridiculously wide decision. Coggi was simply favorably treated because of his stature as a champion and being a popular and exciting fighter and probably also because he was of Italian heritage. 
 

Hiranaka on other side lacked real sponsorship and therefore was in a financially difficult situation which made it hard for him to get world title fights. After scoring two more knockouts, he was handed another shot at the WBA title, which was now held by the former lightweight star Edwin “Chapo” Rosario of Puerto Rico. Despite that, the fight was held in Mexico City on April 10 1992. It was here that AH shocked the boxing world by pinning the great warrior Rosario against the ropes and hitting him with a barrage that sent him down and out after only 92 seconds! This was one of the shortest world title fights at 140 and a huge upset, one of the greatest ever. It certainly derailed the career of Rosario and he never got his momentum back. Hiranaka himself was unable to build on his tremendous victory as he defended against the young Filipino Morris East on 9 September in Tokyo. East had a record of 15-2 and looked slow and awkward but strong. It was a competitive fight, but Hiranaka was ahead on all scorecards going into round 11, when he got dropped by a right and a left. he had trouble getting up and when he did get up, he could not stand properly, so the referee stopped the fight.

This was the end of the great Upsetters career, as he got diagnosed with intracranial hemorrhage and had to retire at the age of 29. His record stands at 20 wins, with 18 knockouts and 2 losses. He has the highest knockout percentage of any Japanese boxer, 90%, while Naoya Inoue is just behind with 89%. Akinobu Hiranaka was really an anomaly because of the way he became the champion and also because he is one of very few boxers in history to become a champion without having a sponsorship. That all deserves great respect. Had he been able to continue, there is no saying what might’ve happened. But he obviously took too much punishment against East and it was for his own good that he quit. He will always be remembered, perhaps unfairly, as a ONE KO WONDER!