November 25, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-The weigh-in ceremony was over for tomorrow’s sensational encounter between unbeaten Japanese prospect, WBA#8/WBC#11 flyweight Koki Kameda (8-0, 7 KOs) and ex-WBA minimum champ Noel Arambulet (21-4-1-1NC, 10 KOs) from Venezuela. Both tipped the beam at the 112-pound contracted limit. It will be held on Saturday afternoon at the Saitama Super Arena, the capacity of which is 15,000, which might show the great attentions of Japanese fight fans as well as Kameda’s fast-growing popularity. Some skeptics say Kameda hasn’t been tested yet, although he demolished ex-WBC light-fly champ Saman Sorjaturong in one and OPBF fly ruler Wanmeechok Singwongcha in three to his credit. Koki, who celebrated his 19th birthday just eight days ago, is incredibly by far more popular than four current world champs in Japan-Tokuyama, Hasegawa, Niida and Eagle-due to his flamboyance. Yesterday (Thursday) a press conference took place at the Korakuen Chinese Restaurant, where Kameda, as usual, attempted to menace the ex-world champ with his trade-mark awesome stare. Though the naughty boy tried to irritate him and make him angry, Arambulet, 31, only smiled at his verbal war. “Make the weight properly,” said Kameda violently, but the Venezuelan (who is notorious for having forfeited his belt due to his failure to make the weight) just replied, “Gracias.” Kameda predicted, “He won’t last five rounds.” Arambulet didn’t reply but ignored it smilingly. It will be proved tomorrow whether Kameda is a real thing.
(11-25-05)