Koichi Wajima vs. Carmelo Bossi
Koichi Wajima 153 lbs beat Carmelo Bossi 153 lbs by SD in round 15 of 15
- Date: 1971-10-31
- Location: Nihon University Auditorium, Tokyo, Japan
- Referee: Harold Valan 68-67
- Judge: Takeo Ugo 72-70
- Judge: Marcello Bertini 70-73
- World Boxing Association Super Welterweight Title
- World Boxing Council Super Welterweight Title
"Koichi Wajima of Japan, frantically attacking throughout the bout, dethroned WBA junior middleweight Carmelo Bossi of Italy by a split decision Sunday night. Wajima rushed Bossi again and again, swinging strongly, but Bossi frequently wrapped his left arm around Wajima's head when the Japanese challenger moved into close range. A crowd of about 5,000 at Nihon University Auditorium booed and complained about Bossi's holding. After the 5th round, Hitoshi Misako, Wajima's manager, entered the ring and complained to referee Harold Valan about Bossi's holding. Both fighters seemed in high spirits for the start of the last round. Wajima continued his aggressive tactics but most of his punches missed. Bossi occasionally countered with left and right uppercuts. There were no knockdowns in the clinch-filled 15-round bout." -Associated Press
- Bossi and his manager complained after the fight that referee Valan erred in his scoring. They claimed that Valan had told them that he scored the 14th round 5-4 for Bossi but that the scorecard showed he scored 5-4 for Wajima. Their claim was that the one point difference would have turned the decision to a draw and Bossi would have retained his title. But the decision stood.