Koki Kameda
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 in the Flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...

 division and the current WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

 Bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...

 Regular Champion. He is the oldest of the three Kameda brothers. His younger brother, Daiki Kameda
Daiki Kameda
is a Japanese professional boxer in the flyweight division. He is the former WBA Flyweight Champion. Kameda has made it his custom to sing a song for the audience after each of his victories.-Personal life:...

, is a professional boxer in the super flyweight division, and the youngest brother Tomoki
Tomoki Kameda
Tomoki Kameda is an undefeated Japanese boxer in the Super Bantamweight division. He's the current WBC FECARBOX, WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation Bantamweight and the WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion....

, is the WBC Youth Intercontinental
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

 Super Bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....

 Champion, who currently fights in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. Kōki is the former WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

 Light Flyweight
Light flyweight
- Professional boxing :The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds . When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this...

 Champion. He gave up the title shortly after defending it once to move up to the flyweight division. He is the former WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

 Flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...

 Champion and has a record of 22-1-0 (14 KOs).

Family

Kameda and his two brothers are by far the most well known boxers in Japan. Their father began training them when they were young, and Kōki Kameda was featured in a television series after winning several amateur tournaments. His brother Daiki
Daiki Kameda
is a Japanese professional boxer in the flyweight division. He is the former WBA Flyweight Champion. Kameda has made it his custom to sing a song for the audience after each of his victories.-Personal life:...

 is a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 and the current WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

 Flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...

 Champion. Kōki's youngest brother Tomoki
Tomoki Kameda
Tomoki Kameda is an undefeated Japanese boxer in the Super Bantamweight division. He's the current WBC FECARBOX, WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation Bantamweight and the WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion....

, had been training for the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

, but was told he was too young to qualify for the Olympics. Tomoki decided to turn pro and is now the WBC Youth Intercontinental
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

 Super Bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....

 Champion. While growing up in Osaka, they trained at the Green Tsunuda gym, which also produced former WBC minimumweight
Minimumweight
Minimumweight is a weight class division in combat sports. The most notable of which is in professional boxing where boxers may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new weight category for professionals, first inaugurated by the major boxing sanctioning bodies between 1987 and 1990...

 title holder and former WBA interim minimumweight title holder, Katsunari Takayama
Katsunari Takayama
is a Japanese professional boxer. He is the former World Boxing Association minimumweight interim champion, and the former World Boxing Council minimumweight champion. He has a record of 18-3 ....

, who also happens to be a critic of the Kameda brothers.

Amateur career

Back in 2000 when Kameda was only 14 years old, Kameda managed to get some national attention by taking on former two time division world champion, Hiroki Ioka
Hiroki Ioka
Hiroki Ioka is a former WBC Minimumweight and WBA Lightweight champion. He was the first ever WBC Minimumweight champion, winning the title immediately after the minimumweight division was created....

, in a 2 round exhibition match. Ioka was the inaugural WBC minimumweight champion and was also the former WBA lightflyweight champion, a title which Kameda himself would controversially win in August 2006. Kameda at first was believed to have got a first round knockdown on the former champion by landing a left straight and a right hook, but the referee ruled it as a slip. Kameda throughout the exhibition bout, would try to go for a knockout. However, the fight went the distance and this would jump start Kameda by going all out on the former champion.

Pro career

On August 2, 2006, in his first attempt for the world title, Kameda squared off with Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta is a professional boxer from Venezuela. Juan Jose fought for the World Boxing Association light flyweight title and minimumweight title. Also, Juan Jose won the WBA interim minimumweight title.Notable Fights...

 of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...

 in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

, Japan, for the World Boxing Association
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

 light flyweight title. The fight was rather controversial as Kameda won the fight in a split decision despite getting knocked down in the first round and being dominated in the final two rounds. Further fueling controversy was the fact that the Korean judge who scored the fight 114-113 in Kameda's favor gave the final round to Kameda 10-9, although the perception by most observers was that the clearly exhausted Japanese boxer did nothing but tie up his opponent and try to avoid being knocked out in that round. If the Korean judge had scored the final round in favor of Landaeta, the Venezuelan would have won the bout. The match reinforced the existence of a home field advantage and the bias a foreign fighter must face when fighting on Japanese soil.

There were mixed reactions from the Japanese public after the fight. Some 50,000 calls complaining against the decision were made to TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....

 (Tokyo Broadcasting System, the station that broadcasted the fight) to complain about the decision. While some hailed the 19-year-old's aggressiveness and impressive technique, others believed Landaeta was obviously the better fighter and exposed Kameda's inexperience and questionable stamina. Despite the controversial nature of the decision, it was a close, bitterly contested bout. Scoring some of the very close earlier rounds for Kameda would give the young fighter the necessary buffer on the scorecards to required to win, despite Landaeta's late charge. Kameda's father and trainer's backlash against the critics went as far as death threats.

Rematch & Defending the Title

On December 20, 2006, in a highly anticipated rematch, Kameda decisively defeated Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta is a professional boxer from Venezuela. Juan Jose fought for the World Boxing Association light flyweight title and minimumweight title. Also, Juan Jose won the WBA interim minimumweight title.Notable Fights...

 at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Kameda employed a rather different boxing style from the one he used back in the title match on August. Kameda outboxed Landaeta for most of the match using his quickness and accuracy, and won by unanimous decision.

Kameda vacated his Light Flyweight
Light flyweight
- Professional boxing :The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds . When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this...

 Championship to move up to the Flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...

 division on January 22, 2007.

Winning the WBC flyweight title

Koki Kameda beat Daisuke Naito
Daisuke Naito
is a professional boxer from Japan. He is the former WBC flyweight champion, and former Japanese and OPBF flyweight champion.- Professional career :Naito made his professional debut in October, 1996...

 on November 29, 2009 for the Lineal & WBC flyweight championships.

Defending against Pongsaklek Wonjongkam

On March 27, 2010, Koki Kameda fought Wonjongkam to unify the WBC Flyweight championship and interim WBC Flyweight championship. The winner would also claim the vacant The Ring's Flyweight championship. Wonjongkam defeated Kameda by a 12 round majority decision to become the WBC and Ring/Lineal Flyweight champion.

WBA Bantamweight title

On December 26, 2010 Kameda went up to the Bantamweight weight class and fought Alexander Munoz of Venezuela for the vacant WBA Bantamweight Regular Title. Kameda defeated Munoz by unanimous decision to win the title.

Professional Boxing Record

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="8"|26 Wins (16 Knockouts), 1 Defeat, 0 Draws
|- style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;"
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Res.
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Record
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Opponent
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Type
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Rd., Time
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Date
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Location
| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Notes
|- align=center
|
|
|align=left| Mexico Mario Macias
Mario Macias
Mario Antonio Macias Orozco is a Mexican professional boxer and the former NABF Bantamweight Championship.-WBA Bantamweight Championship:...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|26-1
|align=left| Mexico David De La Mora
David De La Mora
David De La Mora Zambrano is a Mexican professional boxer in the Bantamweight division and is the former WBC FECARBOX Bantamweight Champion.-Early life:...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|25-1
|align=left| Nicaragua Daniel Diaz
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|24-1
|align=left| Venezuela Alexander Muñoz
Alexander Muñoz
Alexander Muñoz is a professional boxer in the super flyweight division, nicknamed "El Explosivo."- Boxing career :...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|23-1
|align=left| Mexico Cecilio Santos
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Loss
|22-1
|align=left| Thailand Pongsaklek Wonjongkam
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam is a professional southpaw boxer in the flyweight division. His record is 83-3-1 . He is the WBC Flyweight Champion, as well as The Ring World Flyweight Champion...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|22-0
|align=left| Japan Daisuke Naito
Daisuke Naito
is a professional boxer from Japan. He is the former WBC flyweight champion, and former Japanese and OPBF flyweight champion.- Professional career :Naito made his professional debut in October, 1996...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|21-0
|align=left| Mexico Humberto Pool
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|20-0
|align=left| Mexico Dolores Osorio
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|19-0
|align=left| Mexico Salvador Montes
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|18-0
|align=left| Mexico Marino Montiel
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|17-0
|align=left| Philippines Rexon Flores
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|16-0
|align=left| United States Cesar Lopez
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|15-0
|align=left| Indonesia Irfan Ogah
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|14-0
|align=left| Mexico Everardo Morales
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|13-0
|align=left| Venezuela Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta is a professional boxer from Venezuela. Juan Jose fought for the World Boxing Association light flyweight title and minimumweight title. Also, Juan Jose won the WBA interim minimumweight title.Notable Fights...


|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|12-0
|align=left| Venezuela Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta
Juan Jose Landaeta is a professional boxer from Venezuela. Juan Jose fought for the World Boxing Association light flyweight title and minimumweight title. Also, Juan Jose won the WBA interim minimumweight title.Notable Fights...


|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|11-0
|align=left| Nicaragua Carlos Fajardo
|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|10-0
|align=left| Mexico Carlos Bouchan
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|9-0
|align=left| Venezuela Noel Arambulet
Noel Arambulet
Noel Arambulet is a flyweight boxer.- Professional career :Nicknamed "El Verdugo", Arambulet turned pro in 1996 and captured the vacant WBA minimumweight title with a decision win over Joma Gamboa in 1999. He defended the belt once before being stripped of the title for not making weight for a...


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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|8-0
|align=left| Thailand Wanmeechok Singwancha
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|7-0
|align=left| Thailand Saman Sorjaturong
Saman Sorjaturong
Saman Sorjaturong was a Thai former world boxing champion.Sorjaturong turned pro in 1989 and won the WBC and IBF junior flyweight title during his career. He defeated reigning champion Humberto González in a thrilling fight that was named Ring Magazine fight of the year in 1995 to win the IBF and...


|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|6-0
|align=left| Thailand Yodkeng Singwangcha
|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|5-0
|align=left| Thailand Nopadetchlek Chuwatana
|
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|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|4-0
|align=left| Thailand Daochai KT Gym
|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|3-0
|align=left| Thailand Saming Twingym
|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|2-0
|align=left| Thailand Prakan Twingym
|
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|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|- align=center
|Win
|1-0
|align=left| Thailand Dennarong Sithsoba
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|

Criticism

Kameda is often criticized for his flamboyance, immaturity, and lack of respect both inside and outside the ring. He has never spoken courteously towards anyone in his numerous TV appearances, (considering that the Japanese language has tenses specifically used for courteous speech) and often taunts opponents with insulting presents and language. Criticism also revolves around his boxing skills and sportsmanship. The fact that Kameda's first six opponents had a combined record of 0-18 brought much criticism during the early part of his professional career. Many Japanese boxers, including former WBC Super flyweight champion Masamori Tokuyama
Masamori Tokuyama
is a retired professional boxer in the super flyweight division. His professional record was 32-3-1 . He is a former WBC world super flyweight champion....

 and WBC Minimumweight title Eagle Kyowa
Eagle Kyowa
"Eagle" Den Junlaphan a.k.a. Eagle Kyowa is a professional boxer in the strawweight division. He won the WBC strawweight title on January 10, 2004, by defeating José Antonio Aguirre but lost it to Isaac Bustos in his second title defense, due to a shoulder injury...

, have stated that they could easily defeat Kameda if given a chance, and that his boasting and popularity are greatly out of proportion with his actual skills in the ring.

There was an outcry from the Japanese public about his first bout against Landaeta being fixed
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...

. Former world champions Guts Ishimatsu
Guts Ishimatsu
is a former boxing world champion from Kanumashi, Japan. After retiring from boxing, he has gained popularity as an actor and comedian.As a boxer, he was known for his unpredictable style, sometimes marking completely unpredicted victories, and often losing in extravagant fashion as well...

 and Yasuei Yakushiji
Yasuei Yakushiji
is a former professional boxer who fought in the bantamweight division. He successfully defended the WBC bantamweight title four times during his career.- Biography :Yakushiji began boxing under influence of his father, who was an amateur boxer...

 have commented that they believe Kameda lost the fight.

He was also involved in the controversy surrounding his brother Daiki
Daiki Kameda
is a Japanese professional boxer in the flyweight division. He is the former WBA Flyweight Champion. Kameda has made it his custom to sing a song for the audience after each of his victories.-Personal life:...

 during his fight with Daisuke Naito
Daisuke Naito
is a professional boxer from Japan. He is the former WBC flyweight champion, and former Japanese and OPBF flyweight champion.- Professional career :Naito made his professional debut in October, 1996...

. Koki escaped with a warning about advising Daiki to elbow Naito in the eye. His brother was suspended from fighting for one year and his father was suspended indefinitely for the incident.

It was originally rumored and intended that Kameda would fight then WBC Light Flyweight title holder, Brian Viloria
Brian Viloria
Brian Viloria is a Filipino-American professional boxer He is the reigning WBO Flyweight champion. He also won the WBC Light Flyweight and IBF Junior Flyweight titles...

, in a WBA/WBC unification title fight. However, Kameda's controversial decision over Landaeta in the first match and Viloria losing to Omar Nino made the match difficult to produce further talks.

See also


External links

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