March 22, 2008
CHIBA, JAPAN
WBA#1/WBC#3 flyweight and ex-WBA 108-pound champ, unbeaten Koki Kameda (17-0, 11 KOs), 112, returned to ring action and pounded out a shutout decision (100-91 twice and 100-90) over WBO#2 light-fly Rexon Flores (19-4-4, 9 KOs), 111.5, over ten fast rounds on Saturday in Chiba, Japan.
The Japanese sensation Kameda, 21, connected with a southpaw double left and dropped the Filipino, 25, early in the opening session, but didn’t follow up hard to go for a first round knockout. Kameda was too fast and aggressive for the slower Flores, whom the ex-champ battered from all angles in every round. The flamboyant prefight favorite occasionally displayed showboating with his hands low and had him at bay in the ninth, but the Filipino showed his determination and durability to refuse to go down again. Kameda, after an eight-month hiatus, wasn’t as sharp and powerful as previously, but showed his superior class against the game Filipino who had been unsuccessful to win the WBO flyweight belt from Omar Narvaez via unanimous decision in Argentina in 2006.
Asked by the Japanese press which is stronger between Kameda and Narvaez, Flores replied, “Narvaez is faster and Kameda is more powerful. I cannot expect which is better as they haven’t fought yet. I only admit Kameda is a good boxer with speed and power.”
Unranked Yota Sato (13-2, 6 KOs), 114.75, embalmed OPBF#12 ex-Thai national super-fly champ Petchklongphai Sor Tharnthip (14-16-2, 4 KOs), 115, with a vicious body shot at 2:59 of the third round in a scheduled ten. Koseki Nakama (12-1, 5 KOs), 130, floored Kengo Ito (7-8, 5 KOs), 130, with a furious combo and halted him at 1:19 of the sixth canto in a scheduled ten.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Kameda-Flores bout).
(3-22-08)