Famechon-Harada I Questions

[Jack1000]

Guys,

I am doing some research on this fight. The match is regarded as "a huge robbery" Harada had Famachon down three times (I think) and Johnny appeared to win no more than 5 rounds. From what I recall, I had Harada up by 5-6 points. It was a great fight but the decision seemed a mere formality. Did Johnny score any KD's himself?

The fight was in Australia. (Femechan's home country) and the referee Willie Pep was the sole arbitrator. He originally carded a draw, but then went back and his card was ammened to a Femechan win! Many fans and scribes called the verdict outragous. Questions:

1. Did Pep change his card because of him making a mistake in the scoring originally or did he just feel that Famachon had won? Recall that since the Grahman-Girdello fight, where a decision as overturned and reintated. It was made unlawful for any US commission to alter the scorecard of any judges. Judges decisions are final. Of course this was in Austrailia. Did Pep give any interviews or comments about the fight. What was his ammended scorecard? Was this change made a day later, or shortly after the original draw decision had been announced?

2. Do any of you have the fight with the 15th round uncut? My copy shows all 14 rounds complete, but the 15th round is less than a minute long!!! That's bullshit!

Jack

[Rebel]

I read about that bout when I was doing research on Vicente Saldivar. He defeated Famechon after Famechon had defeated Harada twice.

I found this on another site regarding the Harada/Famechon fights.

"The first fight was controversial to say the least and saw Johnny on the canvas 3 times and still come away with a very disputed points win. The second fight was a classic fight, it featured Famechon once again on the canvas but his stamina and sheer will saw him come back
to knock Harada out in the 14th round."

[Rebel]

Boxrec has this sidenote under that fight, "WBC Featherweight Title Controversial decision and often cited as the worst robbery in Asian boxing history/Famechon down 3 times and in most eyes lost virtually every round/Willie Pep, the referee and the lone judge, amends his scorecard from a draw to a Famechon win after the original verdict is announced as a draw amidst confusion and lusty boos from Famechon's home crowd!"

[ October 27, 2003, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Rebel ]

[Rebel]

From Harada's IBHOF Bio:

"But the July 28, 1969, bout ended in controversey as Harada lost a referees decision. It was a compelling bout in which Harada dropped the champion in the second, 11th and 14th rounds. Even though Harada went down in the fifth, many Australians thought Harada deserved the nod. Nevertheless, referee Willie Pep scored Famechon a narrow winner. Harada got a second chance at Famechon six months later, this time in Tokyo, but he was stopped in the 14th round and never fought again."

[Rebel]

In the first fight, Famechon was down in the 2nd, 11th, and 14th rounds.

Harada did taste canvas once in the 5th.

[Rebel]

BTW Jack, I'd love to get a copy of that fight. Would you be willing to trade?

[Jack1000]

Originally posted by Rebel:
BTW Jack, I'd love to get a copy of that fight. Would you be willing to trade? Hey Rebel,

Sadly....I don't do trades. (I only have 1 VCR, which makes copying difficult) I value my fight tapes more than life itself and I gave someone a tape about 10 years ago and never got it back.) The problem for me is that my copy of this fight has the 15th round edited! (Get this, it shows all 14 rounds complete and the 15th round is less than one minute.) I know that there is a complete version out there, but it is rare to get. Unfortunately, I don't sell tapes, but if I can find somebody with a complete copy, I will surely let you know about it, because I would like a complete version myself!!

Had I known about the edited 15th round in the first place, I would not have gotten the fight.

Jack

[ October 27, 2003, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: Jack1000 ]

[neil]

Get a job jack, VCRs are only like 50 or 60 bucks these days you lazy fuck.

[Rebel]

Originally posted by Jack1000:

Hey Rebel,

Sadly....I don't do trades. (I only have 1 VCR, which makes copying difficult) I value my fight tapes more than life itself and I gave someone a tape about 10 years ago and never got it back.) The problem for me is that my copy of this fight has the 15th round edited! (Get this, it shows all 14 rounds complete and the 15th round is less than one minute.) I know that there is a complete version out there, but it is rare to get. Unfortunately, I don't sell tapes, but if I can find somebody with a complete copy, I will surely let you know about it, because I would like a complete version myself!!

Had I known about the edited 15th round in the first place, I would not have gotten the fight.

Jack That's cool Jack.

I found this Harada interview on the net. Check it out. He talks about his fights with Famechon.

FIGHTING HARADA

By Haris Mores

Fighting Harada is arguably Japan's greatest fighter ever. He is the only Japanese boxer to ever make it to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is best known here in Australia for his battles with both Lionel Rose and John Famechon.

Fighting Harada is the only man to ever win both the Flyweight and Bantamweight World Titles. The dual championship reign is all the more impressive when you consider that at the time there were only 10 weight classes and one champion in each division. Had he been fighting in today's era, he could easily be considered as a 4 time division champion.

In October 1962, at age 19, Fighting Harada won the World Flyweight Championship by knocking out legendary Thai champion Pone Kingpetch. However he lost the Title 3 months later in a return bout in Thailand by a 15 round decision.

In May 1965, Harada made history by moving up to the Bantamweight limit and outpointing another boxing great Eder Jofre. In all, Harada defended the Bantamweight Title four times before losing it to Lionel Rose by a 15 round decision.

In July 1969, Harada decided to move up in weight and try to join a then elite class of three division champions by challenging Featherweight king, Johnny Famechon, in Sydney, Australia. But the bout ended in controversey as Harada lost by referee's decision. It was a compelling bout in which Harada dropped Famechon in the 2nd, 11th and 14th rounds. Even though Harada went down in the 5th, many thought Harada deserved the nod at the end of the contest. Referee Willie Pep initially declared the bout a draw but after a close examination of his card, a mathematical error was detected and the decision was changed to a points win for Famechon. The Sydney crowd booed the decision and instead cheered for Fighting Harada.

Harada got a second chance at Famechon six months later, this time in Tokyo, but he was stopped in the 14th round and never fought again.

Today he is the Chairman of the Japanese Boxing Association and trains young fighters at his own gym. Fighting Harada gave below this interview to World Of Boxing:

Who was the best fighter you ever fought?

Well, I would have to say that Eder Jofre was the toughest man I ever fought. When I found out that I was fighting him, I was scared. I beat Jofre to win the World Bantamweight Championship. He was a such a strong, hard puncher.

What are your recollections of the Lionel Rose fight?

All I can say was that on that night Rose had luck. God gave him the win. (Laughs)

At the end of the fight did you think you had won it?

I thought I did my best. After the fight I thought the judges gave him the decision because Rose's punch always landed first while I tried to get on the inside. After watching the fight, I noticed that my punches also landed on him when I did get on the inside. It was a very close fight.

The first Famechon fight in Sydney, what are your recollections of it?

I felt exactly how the Sydney fans felt that night. The referee, Willie Pep from USA, was the only judge on the night. He initially announced the fight a draw and then the decision was changed to a Famechon points win. Even though I lost on points, Australian fans cheered for me, and booed the local fighter. I was very moved. When I went back to my hotel, Australian reporters came to me, and told me that I won the fight. The following morning's newspaper headlines were that I was "robbed" of the World Title. Lionel Rose spoke on TV telling me to go back to Japan with my chin up because I won the fight.

The second Famechon fight was in Tokyo. It was expected with your own home crowd that you would win easily. What went wrong?

After my first fight with Famechon I was too over confident. I was expected to win easy on my home ground. On the other hand, Famechon was determined to win in a hostile crowd, and I believe he trained harder because of this. I was just not mentally prepared for our second fight.

Having fought both Lionel Rose & John Famechon who would you regard as the better fighter?

That is a hard one to answer. They were both great fighters, and I lost to both of them. I cannot choose. Famechon was a boxer with great technical skills, where as Rose was rough and strong.

Today Japan has a big boxing star in Joichiro Tatsuyoshi. How would a young Fighting Harada go against Tatsuyoshi?

Well, it's like asking who will win if Tyson and Ali fought. Nobody knows. But in my days, there was only one World Champion in each division as the WBA was the only organisation. Those days there was only a total of 8 World Champions, and not like now as we have WBC, WBO, IBF, WBF, etc. The World Title then had more value to it. Maybe that is why I had a privilege of being inducted to the Boxing Hall of Fame in USA. I am the only Japanese fighter to have been so.

What part do you play in Japanese boxing now?

I am the Chairman of the Japan Boxing Association. I am also the Chairman of Fighting Harada Boxing Gym and I am training youngsters.

Do you think you will have another Fighting Harada from your gym?

Well I certainly hope so. I have been training youngsters for over 10 years after my retirement. It is very difficult but it is my goal. Australia is my second home, and my dream is to bring my fighters to Australia for a fight. Australian people are very warm and great fans. There are many fans still contacting me to this day.

Thank you very much.

Your very welcome. It was my great pleasure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This interview was done on November 10, 1998 for World Of Boxing-Australian Edition. Mr. Haris Mores kindly contributed this article to this web site.

[ October 28, 2003, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Rebel ]

[Jack1000]

Originally posted by Neil:
Get a job jack, VCRs are only like 50 or 60 bucks these days you lazy fuck. LOL!!!

Hey Neil! Glad to see that you are still around. I thought you had died or something!

Actually, I don't have room for a second VCR. My current TV is very narrow on top and the cabinet is just big enough to hold the digital box and VCR that I currently have. BTW, it's a Sony that I have had for 10 years, and it still works great. Amazing! Anyway, glad your still around.

Jack

[Jack1000]

Thanks Rebel for all your help. I've learned even more about this fight in the last two days! LOL!

Jack

[Rebel]

I'll be getting this fight next week. I can't wait until I witness this travesty. I heard Famechon lost just about every round and still got the decision. :eek:

[Tam-Tam]

"Famechon was a boxer with great technical skills, where as Rose was rough and strong."

Masahiko's brain must have been damaged somewhere along the line. If anything, Rose was the master boxer out of the two. Famechon was a good boxer himself, but not on Rose's level.

"Rough and strong" just doesn't fit either that well.