Koki Kameda Retains Bantamweight Title in Yokohama; Filipino Malcolm Tunacao Issues Challenge (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 05 Apr 2012
YOKOHAMA, Japan - WBA bantamweight world champion Koki Kameda retained for the fourth time his title with a hard fought victory over Indonesia's Noldi Manakane last night in Yokohama, Japan, and Filipino former world champion Malcolm Tunacao, present in Yokohama, has issued Koki Kameda a challenge.
The best blows in the rather boring combat were thrown by Koki Kameda, however those punches did not have the necessary power to get Manake in trouble at any time during the 12 rounds fight.
Before the hostilities began, I thought Manake would not last the twelve rounds in front of the popular Kameda. However the unknown Manake managed to fight the whole distance throwing punches of his own manufacture.
Referee Ra?l Caiz Jr. of California correctly deducted one point from Koki Kameda for throwing low blows. It was an apparent antic from Kameda to "soften" his opponent so as to get him knocked out, which would have looked very good to the public and TV viewers but did not work out and the one point deduction did not have any influence in the final outcome of the title clash.
"Not impressive that performance of Kameda," said Pinoy Malcom Tunacao. "That indonesian (Noldi Manakane) was knocked out quickly by my kababayan AJ Banal, and in 12 long rounds Koki Kameda could not even stagger the Indonesian, and needed to give him low blows? If Kameda wants to battle a real tough fighter, then he should fight me," commented the Cebuano "Eagle Eye" MalcomTunacao to PhilBoxing last night at the Yokohama Arena."
Kameda (R) and Manakane (L) being watched intently by Referee Raul Caiz Jr.
Kameda is declared winner after the 12-round title bout.
L-R: Malcolm Tunacao, the authro and Wars Parenas.
Kameda's lackluster performance leads many to believe that a title fight with world ranked Japan-based Tanacao (30-2-3, 19KO's), the current OPBF bantamweight champion, would be an interesting clash as Tanacao is a tough experienced complicated fighter who is also a southpaw, the same with Kameda. Plus, Tanacao, now living in Kobe, Japan, with a Japanese manager, is available to fight Kameda anytime.
Tanacao is the world rated in the WBA # 9 bantamweight.
Meanwhile, Koki Kameda, 25, who was the fight's promoter (he owns Kameda Promotions), said after the fight that the Indonesian was more tough than he expected and assured that he'd get back to the gym to train hard to face the best bantamweights in the world.
The WBA bantamweight super world champion is Anselmo "Chemito" Moreno of Panama (who recently defeated Vic Darchinyan). Filipino star AJ Banal would be another tough exciting opponent. However, Banal is considering a fight with Thailand fighter Pungluang of One SongChai Promotions for the vacant WBO bantamweight title in Thailand.
Koki Kameda, a 3-division world champion, and a controversial sports figure in Japan, loved or hated in his own country, holds a record of 28 victories, only 1 defeat (by points), 17 victories by way of KO.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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