16 Facts About Katsuya Onizuka

Katsuya Onizuka is a former WBA Super Flyweight champion from Kitakyushu, Japan.

Katsuya Onizuka began boxing in middle school, entering a local boxing gym to begin training.

Katsuya Onizuka won several high amateur boxing tournaments in high school, but lost a match in his senior year against Hiroshi Kawashima, who would later win the WBC Super Flyweight title.

Katsuya Onizuka had already been accepted to Kinki University, but decided to turn pro after being battered in a sparring session with Hiroki Ioka, who had just become the WBC Minimumweight champion.

Katsuya Onizuka entered the Kyoei boxing gym in Tokyo, and made his professional debut in 1988 as a flyweight.

Katsuya Onizuka quickly built up his record, and won the Japanese Super Flweight title in October, 1990, which he defended three times before moving on to challenge the world title.

Katsuya Onizuka won a close 12-round decision, the first of the series of controversial wins in his career.

Katsuya Onizuka defended his title for the first time on September 11,1992, winning by TKO in the 5th round.

Katsuya Onizuka fought Mexican fighter Armando Castro three months later for his second defense, and won an indisputable victory.

Two of the three judges of the fight were Japanese, and had both scored the bout in favor of Katsuya Onizuka, making the fight one of the worst and most obvious cases of a hometown decision.

Katsuya Onizuka made a fifth successful defense by 12-round decision on April 10,1994, despite having been knocked down for the first time in his professional career in the 5th round.

The referee finally stopped the fight in the 9th round, and Katsuya Onizuka lost his title after two years of controversial defences.

Katsuya Onizuka was found to have a detached retina in the right eye after the fight, and announced his retirement.

Katsuya Onizuka explained that he had actually suspected an injury in his right eye over two years ago, but had kept it to himself to avoid being forced into retirement.

Katsuya Onizuka lived away from boxing for a while after retirement, but now trains young boxers at his boxing gym in his hometown, Fukuoka.

Katsuya Onizuka often appears on TBS boxing broadcasts as a commentator.