48 years ago

Date: 12th October 1975

Title: WBA World Featherweight Title

Promoter: N/A

Tv: N/A

Alexis Arguello
( 40 - 4 - 0 )
Weight: 125½ lbs

Royal Kobayashi
( 18 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 125¾ lbs

On Sunday, October 12th, 1975, Alexis Arguello and Royal Kobayashi met at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The bout was for the WBA World Featherweight Title, with Arguello making his third defense. Arguello, hailing from Managua, Nicaragua, entered the ring with a record of 40-4-0, while the unbeaten Kobayashi, from Kumamoto, Japan, boasted an 18-0-0 record. At the weigh-in, Arguello tipped the scales at 125½ lbs and Kobayashi at 125¾ lbs.

From the first bell, Arguello attacked with swift left and right combinations. However, the Japanese challenger fought back with powerful body punches, holding his own against the champion.

As the fight progressed, Arguello's counter-attack strategy began to wear down Kobayashi. In the fifth round, Arguello landed a hard body shot that visibly hurt Kobayashi. The Nicaraguan champion followed up with a fast salvo that forced the challenger to drop to his knee.

Kobayashi managed to beat the count but was dropped again by an even harder left hook to the ribs delivered by Arguello. The resilient challenger got to his feet once more, but referee Ferny Carpentier counted him out at 2:47 of the fifth round, resulting in a knockout victory for Arguello.

After this bout, Alexis Arguello continued his successful career as a world champion, while Royal Kobayashi went on to hold the WBC World Super Bantamweight title in 1976.