Hiroshi Kobayashi vs. Ricardo Arredondo
Hiroshi Kobayashi 129 lbs beat Ricardo Arredondo 129 lbs by UD in round 15 of 15
- Date: 1971-03-04
- Location: Nihon University Auditorium, Tokyo, Japan
- Referee: Yusaku Yoshida 73-70
- Judge: Takeo Ugo 73-69
- Judge: Hiroyuki Tezaki 73-69
"Japan's Hiroshi Kobayashi, 129 1/4, retained his WBA jr. lightweight championship by scoring a unanimous decision over Mexico's Ricardo Arredondo in a 15-round title fight here Thursday night. A near-capacity crowd of 5,000 at Tokyo's Nihon University Auditorium saw the two boxers fight evenly and cautiously over the first three rounds. From the 7th on, it was a slugfest but both missed with decisive punches. The champion, trying to wear down the challenger, kept up his left and right-handed attacks up to the 9th round. Arredondo, 128 1/2, made a strong comeback in the 10th by landing lefts and rights to Kobayashi's body and head. Over the last five rounds both traded punches but neither fighter was able to outslug the other." -Associated Press
- Unofficial AP scorecard - 73-69 Kobayashi
Post-fight comments
- "I have no objection with the decision. I knew I was losing on points." -Ricardo Arredondo
- "I'm not satisfied with my ring performance. I just could not fight the way I wanted." -Hiroshi Kobayashi