Kōki Kameda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kōki Kameda
Statistics
Nickname(s)	Naniwa no Tōken (浪速乃闘拳) "The Fighting Fist of Naniwa"
Rated at	Light-flyweight Flyweight Super-flyweight Bantamweight
Height	1.66 m
Reach	1.68 m
Nationality	Japanese
Born	(1986-11-17) November 17, 1986 (age 39) Osaka, Japan
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	35
Wins	33
Wins by KO	18
Losses	2

Kōki Kameda (亀田 興毅, Kameda Kōki, born November 17, 1986) is a famous Japanese boxer who used to compete professionally from 2003 to 2015. He was a world champion in two different weight classes. He held the WBA light-flyweight title and the WBC flyweight title. He also won the WBA bantamweight title two times. His younger brothers, Daiki and Tomoki, are also professional boxers, just like him!

Kōki Kameda's Early Boxing Days

Kōki Kameda started boxing at a young age. When he was only 14 years old in 2000, he got a lot of attention in Japan. He had a special two-round exhibition match against Hiroki Ioka. Ioka was a very experienced boxer who had been a world champion twice.

During their match, Kōki tried very hard to knock out the former champion. At one point, it looked like he might have knocked Ioka down! However, the referee said it was just a slip. Even though Kōki didn't get a knockout, the match showed everyone how determined and skilled he was. This exhibition helped kick-start his journey in boxing.

Becoming a Professional Boxer

Kōki Kameda officially became a professional boxer. On August 2, 2006, he had his first chance to win a world title. He fought Juan Jose Landaeta from Venezuela in Yokohama, Japan. This fight was for the World Boxing Association light-flyweight title.

Kōki won the fight by a "split decision." This means that some judges thought he won, and others thought Landaeta won. It was a very close and debated fight. Kōki was knocked down in the first round. Many people also thought he looked very tired in the last two rounds. Some people felt that Landaeta should have won.

After the fight, many people in Japan called the TV station to complain about the decision. Even with the debate, it was a tough fight for both boxers. Kōki's father and trainer were very protective of him and spoke strongly against the critics.

Rematch and Defending His Title

Because the first fight was so close and debated, Kōki Kameda and Juan Jose Landaeta had a rematch. This happened on December 20, 2006, in Tokyo, Japan. This time, Kōki showed a different boxing style. He was quicker and more accurate with his punches. He won the rematch by a "unanimous decision," which means all the judges agreed he was the winner.

After defending his light-flyweight title, Kōki decided to move up to a heavier weight class. He gave up his Light Flyweight Championship on January 22, 2007, to compete in the Flyweight division.

Winning Another World Title

Kōki Kameda continued to climb the ranks in the boxing world. On November 29, 2009, he fought Daisuke Naito. Kōki won this fight and became the WBC and lineal flyweight champion. This was another big achievement for him, showing he could be a champion in different weight categories.

A Tough Fight and a Loss

On March 27, 2010, Kōki Kameda faced Pongsaklek Wonjongkam. This fight was to unify two WBC Flyweight championships. It was also for the vacant The Ring Flyweight championship. Wonjongkam defeated Kōki by a "majority decision" after 12 rounds. This meant Kōki lost his WBC flyweight title.

Becoming a Bantamweight Champion

Kōki Kameda then decided to move up to the Bantamweight weight class. On December 26, 2010, he fought Alexander Munoz from Venezuela for the vacant WBA Bantamweight Regular Title. Kōki won this fight by a unanimous decision, becoming a world champion in a third weight class!

In May 2012, Kōki's title status was changed to "Champion in Recess." This happened because he said he had an injury that stopped him from fighting a required challenger. He got his champion status back in November 2012. However, in December 2013, he gave up his title. He wanted to move down to the super flyweight division and possibly fight another champion.

Kōki Kameda's Boxing Record

Kōki Kameda had an impressive career. He competed in 35 professional boxing matches.

He won 33 of his fights, with 18 of those wins coming by knockout. He only lost 2 fights during his entire professional career.

See also

• List of flyweight boxing champions
• List of WBA world champions
• List of WBC world champions
• Notable boxing families
• List of Japanese boxing world champions
• Boxing in Japan