TOKYO, JAPAN – By Mark Pickering: Daisuke Naito outclassed teenage prodigy Daiki Kameda today to score a deserved unanimous decision win in the first defence of his World Boxing Council flyweight crown.
Naito looked to overwhelm 18-year-old Kameda early, which made for a fast-paced opening that favored the champion and vocalized the heavily pro-Naito crowd.
An attack-minded Naito was rarely troubled by the challenger, who was bidding to become the youngest world champion in Japanese boxing history.
With Kameda clearly behind on the score cards, his frustrations come to the fore in the final round as he resorted to foul tactics.
His closing offense was more befitting of his nations heroic rugby side as he proceded in tackling Naito around the waist on three occasions with both men falling to the canvas.
The over-enthusiastic Kameda, whose best efforts to light up the contest come in the form of his peroxide blond hair and golden gloves, was docked three points for his indiscretions as the bloodied champion regained his composure too see out the final round.
The 33-year-old Naito, who bled profusely from a cut above his right eye, showed glimpses of the punches-in-bunches all-action style which saw him capture the crown in his third title tilt against long-reigning world champ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in July.
The Hokkaido native was content with his night’s work and overcoming media pressure to follow his career-best performance over Pongsaklek with a win against Daiki, the second eldest of the three Kameda brothers.
The teenage sensation, who to his credit was competing in only his 11th pro fight, will at least for the time being remain a popular second in the notoriety stakes to his older brother Koki, who become the World Boxing Association Light Flyweight Champion in his 12th pro outing.
The Kameda household’s first taste of defeat sees Daiki slip to 10-1-0 while evergreen champion Naito improves to 32 wins, two defeats and two draws.