TOMOKI ROCKS AMBUNDA AND CEBU (PHOTOS)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Aug 2013
CEBU CITY ? The huge Japanese contingent transformed the Waterfront Hotel into a Little Tokyo with their banners, flags and lustful cheers. Tomoki Kameda did not disappoint his countrymen with his brilliant boxing display and dethroned Paulus Ambunda of Namibia for the WBO bantamweight title.
Kameda established his left jab in the opening round and was a whirlwind, showing excellent lateral movement and darted in and out.
He had no trouble finding his range against the shorter Ambunda. The Nambian was able to connect in the second round, but Tomoki was more effective with his well timed hooks. Fiery close quarter combat ensued in the third and it was Kameda who used the ?Mexican left? to the ribs and shook Ambunda at the end of the round.
Ambunda continued to stalk Kameda and he tried in vain to cut the ring off but Kameda still finish the 4th with a flourish. Tomoki?s edge in speed and ring generalship became more obvious as the rounds progressed but Ambunda remained aggressive and competitive. Kameda was able to take the best Ambunda had to offer and the Japanese showed his excellent conditioning as his punches got stronger past the halfway mark.
In the championship rounds, Ambunda was an easier target and the Japanese corner celebrated even before the final bell rang. The scores ? 118-110, 116-112 and 117-111.
This writer and philboxing editor Dong Secuya both saw it a shutout in favor of Kameda, who joins his brothers Koki, the WBA bantamweight champ, and Daiki, a former WBA flyweight champ who will be fighting for the IBF superflyweight title this September against Rodrigo Guerrero, in making boxing history.
POST SCRIPT:
There were a lot of sequences in the fight where Kameda looked like a Japanese version of Sugar Ray Leonard. He is definitely headed for bigger fights at 118 or 122. He is very welcome to fight here in Cebu again, or any of his brothers for that matter. Ambunda lived up to his moniker ?The Rock?. He was tough and refused to fall. He is also very welcome to fight again in Cebu against any Filipino bantamweight.
Another big winner of the night was Gerpaul Valero, a fighter with a depressing record before trainer Brix Flores transformed him into a spoiler. He got the biggest scalp in his career in former WBC world flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro by split decision.
We hope Marlon Tapales will have more appearances on big fight cards. He was near-virtuoso against Fredirex Rodriguez, a dangerous opponent who upset Vincent Palicte last year.
Tomoki Kameda (L) and Paulus Ambunda in action.
Part of the huge Japanese crowd who witnessed history Thursday night at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu.
The Kamedas Daiki, Shiro (the father) and Koki at Tomoki's corner.
Shiro Kameda hugs his son Tomoki after the fight.
Ambunda's corner are silent right after the fight knowing Paulus has lost his belt.
Tomoki Kameda proudly wears his new WBO world title belt.
Photos by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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