Highway robbery gets Kameda world title!

02/08/2006

Highway robbery gets Kameda world title!

Koki Kameda W12 Juan Landaeta... Japan's most popular boxer, Koki Kameda won a world title today at the tender age of 19, but reports out of Japan make it sound like a terrible hometown decision in Kameda's favor. In a contest for the WBA 108-pound title recently vacated by Roberto Vasquez, Kameda moved down from 112 and Landaeta up from 105. Landaeta silenced the Tokyo crowd with a first-round knockdown and cut landaeta in the middle rounds. According to the Associated Press, "by the 11th round, Kameda looked on the verge of collapse." Japan Today wrote, "To all eyes but the judges' at ringside at Yokohama Arena, Landaeta dominated the fight from the opening bell." Kyodo chimed in, "The only thing that could explain Kameda's victory was his obvious persistence to never give up." Still, the Venezuelan visitor came up on the short end of a 114-113, 115-113, 112-115 decision. The 115-113 score in Kameda's favor indicates either a round was scored evenly or a 10-9 first round despite the knockdown. Kameda is now 12-0 and the third Japanese boxer to win a world title while still in his teens. Boxingtalk listed him as one of the top prospects in the world in its 2005 year end awards.  Landaeta drops to 20-4 and perhaps should hook up with American Jose Navarro to discuss the heartbreak of unfair judging in Japan. source: Associated Press, AFP, Kyodo & Japan Today -- photo: http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/photo/200608/im00042432.html