Today in history: David Kotey knocks out Flipper Uehara to defend WBC Featherweight title

On this day 6 March 1976 (Exactly 44 years ago today) Ghana’s David ‘Poison’ Kotey knocked out Flipper Uehara of Japan to successfully defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) World Featherweight Title at the Accra Sports stadium.

Saturday Night – March 6, 1976

Sports Stadium – Accra, Ghana

Attendance; 50,000

WBC Featherweight Championship

Champion – David ‘Poison’ Kotey

Challenger – Japanese Featherweight Champion – Flipper Uehara.

The 25 year-old Champion 31-2-2 (19 KO’s) was making the ‘1st-Defense’ of his WBC Title versus #10 WBC-ranked – 24 year-old Flipper Uehara 16-2-1 (5 KO’s).

Flipper Uehara was a ‘replacement challenger’ for Shigefumi ‘Shig’ Fukuyama who suffered a cut eye while in training 3-weeks earlier.

The Fight

The Champion (5? 7 1/2? and 126 lbs.) came out like a ‘Ghanaian Terror’ and bombarded the smaller Japan Challenger (5? 5? and 124 1/2 lbs.) with a barrage of left hooks and right uppercuts to the head and body.

In rounds 2, 3 and 4 – Kotey hammered ‘Flipper’ with a continuous two-fisted attack, and drove his challenger all over the ring. Flipper was in ‘survival mode’, as Kotey was too fast and too powerful.

In round 5, Kotey landed a thunderous left hook which stunned Uehara, and a follow-up right-hand and left hook staggered Flipper.

Referee Harry Gibbs looked in, and almost stopped the ‘one-sided’ bout, but allowed the fight to continue.

Surprisingly, in round 6, ‘Flipper’ battled back, and started to get inside and under the champion’s arms, and started attacking the body with left and right hands.

In round 7, ‘Flipper’ maintained the pressure, and backed the champion up, while landing good hard body shots.

But, the champion stem the tide in round 8, and out- gunned the challenger with hard 1-2’s, and controlled the action through rounds 9 and 10 with a consistent attack, as ‘Flipper’ was on the complete defensive.

In round 11, Kotey continued to land hard left hooks and right hands to ‘Flippers’ face,swelling up both his eyes, but the ‘tough’ challenger will not fold.

After round 11, referee-Harry Gibbs called the Ringside Physician to look over the challenger’s puffy eyes, but he let the bout continue.

In round 12, Kotey went back to his steady attack of hard lefts and sharp right hands. Uehara tried a short attack of body punches, but was quickly out-gunned by the champion, and then got battered into the ropes. Referee Harry Gibbs jumped in and stopped the bout at 2:32 of round 12.

The champion received $30,000 for his ‘first title defense’, plus an additional $2500 for film rights of the bout.

Flipper Uehara received $10,000 – plus $3000 ancillary fee’s for the Japan Television broadcast rights.