Jiro Watanabe

Jiro Watanabe, a former boxer who was born on March 16, 1955 in Osaka, Japan. He was one of the first boxers from Japan who became World Super Flyweight champion.

He first fought professionally against Keiza Miyazaki and knocked him out in the third round. The fight was held in his own hometown in Okayama. Then he defeated Yukihiro Kawahira and Noburu Iishi by a first round knockout. Watanabe and Iishi had a rematch, where Watanabe defeated Iishi again in the 6th round by a knockout.

On April 8, 1982, Watanabe fought against Rafael Pedroza of Panama, who was then the WBA Junior Bantamweight champion of the world. Watanabe took the title from Pedroza by a 15 round match and was declared the WBA Junior Bantamweight champion.

He defended the title in several bouts in 1983 and in 1984. However, in 1984, due to his failure to defend the title against Khaosai Galaxy of Thailand, the WBA took the title from him.

In 1995, he ran an import business in Osaka but was arrested for threatening the debtors by beating them to death. He was released since the police suspended the judgment. In 1995, he was arrested and was sentenced of 4 years and 6 months imprisonment July 2000. The judgment was for giving a friend a gun, who was prosecuted for murder.

By June 2007, he was arrested along with ex-actor Kenji Haga and a yakuza. And by July of that same year, the Japan Boxing Commission banished him for his delinquency.