Koki Kameda put the final stamp on an action-packed and thrilling weekend of boxing by defeating rival Daisuke Naito and long time WBC flyweight champ in Saitama, Japan, staying undefeated. The talented trash-talking Kameda (22-0, 14 KO) won by unanimous decision via scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 117-111. BTBC scored it 116-112 for the challenger, who used speed, accurate punching, and ring generalship to outpoint Naito.
Naito (35-3-3, 22 KO) looked no older today than he has in his other recent fights. At 35, he's slowing down, but he's still a world-class fighter at 112 pounds. This was a big win for Kameda, no doubt.
This was less a show that Naito was too old than it was a passing of the torch in a lot of ways. Kameda is the real deal. His counter punching was outstanding, he stayed controlled the entire fight, and unlike the ferocious killer Kameda we've seen before, he recognized that Naito wasn't one of those slugs without a pulse he'd sparked in the past. Despite any out of the ring trash talk, Kameda clearly respected Naito as a fighter.
Kameda’s performance might just edge Bute for the fighter of the week.
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