Today’s papers in Japan reported a sad and sorrowful passing of former WBC super-bantamweight champion Royal Kobayashi, who reportedly had lost his life on November 17. Our deep grief comes from the fact that we have not been informed of his death so long for no less than three weeks from his passing. Once a very popular ring hero at his prime, Kobayashi didn’t stay in our fraternity as a boxing person any longer but worked as a security guard in his native Kumamoto, a southern local place very far from Tokyo. He was 71.

His real name was Kazuo Kobayashi, and when he turned professional, he began to fight under the nom-de-guerre Royal Kobayashi named by his manager Yoshinori Takahashi, former world 140-pound challenger who failed to win the belt from Eddie Perkins via lopsided thirteenth round stoppage here in 1964. It was also said “Royal” originated from royal jelly so that he would be as sweet and strong as that.

Kazuo graduated from Takushoku University, and entered the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). Having compiled an excellent amateur mark of 34-3, 29 stoppages, he participated in the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. Kobayashi proceeded to the quarterfinal by defeating Pat Ryan (New Zealand) and knocking out Pasqualin Morbidelli (Italy). It was Andras Botos of Hungary that decisioned Kobayashi, who returned Japan without an expected medal and with a broken heart.

Highly expected, the mustached Olympian Royal made a sensational pro debut by defeating Japan-ranked Baron Kumazawa in eight unanimous rounds in February 1973. From his second bout Kazuo registered eleven consecutive knockouts, including a stoppage of ex-world challenger Jose “Huitlacoche” Medel in the Mexican legend’s last fight in 1974.

Having scored an unblemished ledger of 18-0, 16 KOs, Royal had an ambitious crack at the WBA featherweight belt against “Explosive Thin Man” Alexis Arguello only to be dispatched with vicious body shots in the fifth round in 1975. Royal, tasting his first defeat, reviewed his loss, saying, “It was like I got stuck with an ice pick to the belly.” In his comeback go, Kobayashi banged out Ushiwakamaru Harada (the younger brother of Fighting Harada) on points that year.

Kobayashi then moved down to the 122-pound division, and dethroned WBC ruler Panamanian Rigoberto Riasco by an eighth round knockout in Tokyo in October 1976. Kazuo, however, pitifully forfeited his belt in his initial defense, where he lost a majority decision (148-146, 148-144, 146-146) to Dong-Kyun Yum in the challenger’s home turf in Seoul, Korea, in November. His 47-day reign is the very shortest ever scored among Japanese world titleholders. Also, Kobayashi is the first university graduate of all world champions produced out of Japan.

The world 122-pound belt then busily changed hands, and it was a Puerto Rican prodigy named Wilfredo Gomez that came off the canvas and dethroned the new champ Yum by a twelfth round knockout in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in May 1977. His second defense took place in Kitakyushu, Japan, where Gomez annihilated Kobayashi in three breathtaking rounds in January 1978. The Japanese left hooker was badly beaten by Bazooka Gomez’s more powerful left hook.

Three months thereafter, Royal captured the OPBF featherweight belt by halting Korean Bok-Soo Hwang in the tenth session, and went to engage in his third attempt to win the world belt. This time, his target was the WBA 126-pound titleholder Eusebio Pedroza, who mercilessly battered him into submission after the thirteenth round at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, in January 1979. Pedroza was simply too fast and elusive for Royal to catch up with.

On seven occasions did Kobayashi successfully retain his OPBF 126-pound belt to his credit, but finally yielded it to Jung-Han Hwang by an upset first round knockout in Seoul, Korea, in October 1981. It was the 32-year-old warrior’s last appearance in the paid ranks.

He served as trainer in Sendai Gym, Shinto Gym and Yokohama Hikari Gym (where he cultivated OPBF champ Ichitaro Ishii and two-time world challenger Ryo Akaho), and quit coaching to leave the boxing world. His bad terms with his manager Takahashi (who passed away in 2018) was so notorious, but it should not be described at this moment of his sad passing.

Even if not so skillful, he was really a KO artist chiefly thanks to his trademark left hook. His overall record was 35-8, 27 KOs. May his soul rest in peace.