Fighting Harada fought like he was sired and dam'd by a typhoon. The little 5-foot-4-inch battler would rain a cyclone variety of punches to his opponents' unexposed landscapes, leaving them precious little protection--nothing more than an umbrella to shield them against those severe tropical storms that occasionally buffets Harada's home country of Japan.
    Built like a fireplug, and just about as powerful with the pressure on, this short, squat, little warrior with the legs of tree boles and the body of a small chopping block, fought as though wars stimulated him. With little respect for his own safety, except for a bobbing-and-weaving crouch that made his frame even smaller--if that were possible--Harada would come into his opponent like a tom cat whose mind was made up, underlining his determination with punches thrown from a bewildering variety of places in a never-ceasing, ever-relentless attack. The sum total of his efforts was usually the gradual erosion of his opponent, who took on the look of one of those little inflated toy ducks from which the air has been let out.
 

Born Masahiko Harada, 4/5/43, in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, Japan... First pro bout, 1960, Tokyo Japan... Undefeated in first 25 bouts, including victory over future flyweight champion, Hiroyuki Ebihara, 12/24/60... Suffered first defeat at the hands of Edmundo Esparza, 6/15/62, in 10-round decision... Won world flyweight title with eleventh round knockout of Pone Kingpetch in Tokyo, 10/10/62... Lost rematch to Kingpetch by decision in Bangkok, 1/12/63... Won world bantamweight title, 5/17/65, with 15-round decision over Eder Jofre... Defended title successfully 4 times including rematch with Jofre, 6/1/66--only 2 losses in 78 bouts for Jofre... Lost title to Lionel Rose on 15-round decision, 2/26/68... Challenged Australian Johnny Famechon for featherweight title... Lost disputed decision, 7/28/69... Stopped by Famechon in fourteenth round of rematch in Tokyo, 1/6/70... Retired after bout... First man to win flyweight and bantamweight titles... Complete record: 62 bouts, 55 won, 7 lost, 0 draws, 22 knockouts.