Tomoki Kameda

Bio

Tomoki Kameda is a Japanese boxer from Osaka and one of the most experienced operators at featherweight. He was the first Japanese fighter to win a WBO title, taking the bantamweight belt in 2013, and he has campaigned at bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight since.

He is known as “El Mexicanito”, and the nickname fits. He is a clever, technical boxer who is happy to trade in the pocket, and he has fought all over the world. Add a WBC interim super bantamweight title in 2018 and you have a proper world-level career.

There have been setbacks too. He has lost in world title bids at super bantamweight and featherweight, the latest by majority decision for the IBF featherweight title, and none of those were one-sided. Those are not defeats to be ashamed of.

Now he gets another shot, against Brandon Figueroa for the WBA title in Las Vegas. I think the champion is too strong and too busy, but Kameda has the craft to make it a proper fight for a few rounds. If you know, you know: never write off a Kameda.