Tomoki Kameda, Japan’s “Little Mexican,” and the Glory Days of Japanese Boxing

This is a golden era for Japanese boxing. Japanese fighters own all the meaningful hardware at 118 and 122 pounds. That’s eight belts in all, four of which are the property of undisputed super bantamweight kingpin Naoya Inoue, the first Japanese boxer in history to sit atop the most prestigious of the pound-for-pound lists.

Japan is also represented among the title-holders at 115 (Kosei Tanaka) and 112 (Seigo Yuri Akul) and has a potential featherweight title-holder in the mix in the form of Tomoki Kameda whose victory over Lerati Dlamini this past weekend was framed as an eliminator, making him next in line (in theory) to challenge the newly-crowned IBF featherweight champion Angelo Leo.

Kameda (pictured) has been around the block. Eleven years have passed since he won the WBO world bantamweight title in the Philippines with a unanimous decision over Namibia’s previously undefeated Paulus Ambunda and nine years have passed since he lost the strap in his third title defense, out-pointed by England’s Jamie McDonnell on a Matchroom card in Hidalgo, Texas.

McDonnell was the “A side” from the promoter’s want, but Kameda, who has had one of the most interesting careers of any active boxer, had the crowd in his corner. Hidalgo sits smack against the Mexican border. Virtually everyone there identifies as Latino or Hispanic.

In boxing, the term “Mexican style” is somewhat synonymous to “fan-friendly.” It suggests a high-pressure fighter whose best defense is a relentless offense. Tomoki Kameda took it a step further. At age 17, when he decided to turn pro, he took up residence in Mexico City. Fifteen of his first 23 pro fights were in Mexico, hence his nickname, “El Mexicanito,” a curious handle for a fighter from Osaka.

Kameda, who turned 33 last month, boasts a record of 42-4 (23 KOs). His losses were inflicted by McDonnell, twice, by Rey Vargas in a failed bid for Vargas’s super bantamweight title, and by the aforementioned Dlamini, a South African who upset Kameda in their first encounter. Both Kameda vs. Dlamini bouts, both staged in Japan, ended in split decisions, but there was no controversy when Kameda turned the tables in the rematch. The 116-111 tally submitted by visiting Nevada judge Robert Hoyle was considered the most accurate.

It’s a fair guess that a match between Kameda and Angelo Leo, should it transpire, would be held in Leo’s adopted hometown of Las Vegas. Kameda, for all his globetrotting, has fought in Las Vegas only once – back in 2014 on a Showtime card at the MGM Grand – but has spent many hours training there under the tutelage of Ismael Salas.

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Over the next seven weeks, the Japanese boxing scene will be white-hot. The action begins on Tuesday of next week when Naoya Inoue defends his belts against TJ Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs). Hailing from Australia by way of Ireland, Doheny, a 37-year-old southpaw, has never been stopped.

There’s a first time for everything, as they say, and TJ Doheny’s first time will come on Sept. 3. (The bout will air on ESPN+, the capstone of a five-fight livestream that will commence in the wee hours of the morning in the U.S., specifically 2:30 am ET.)

On Sunday and Monday, Oct. 13 and 14, there will be back-to-back cards at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

On Oct. 13, Naoya’s younger brother Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs) defends his WBA 118-pound title against countryman Seiya Tsutsumi (11-0-2, KOs). Plus Kenshiro Teraji (23-1,14 KOs) moves up in weight to fight for the vacant WBA flyweight title with Nicaraguan veteran Cristofer Rosales (37-6, 22 KOs) in the opposite corner.

Oct. 14 marks the return of WBO bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani who is widely considered the best boxer from Japan not named Naoya Inoue. Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) is matched against mysterious Thai southpaw Tasana Salapat, aka Petch Sor Chitpattana, aka Petch CP Freshmart (76-1, 53 KOs). The supporting bouts include a match between WBO 118-pound title-holder Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) and South Africa’s obscure Phumelele Cafu (10-0-3, 8 KOs).

Looking ahead to 2025, there’s a good chance that Nakatani, who is tall for his weight class, will move up a notch to challenge the baby-faced “Monster,” Naoya Inoue. Barring any slip-ups along the way, that would be the biggest domestic showdown in the annals of Japanese boxing and something more. It would arouse the interest of boxing fans around the world, indicative of the heightened status of boxing in the Land of the Rising Sun.

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No riot this time.

Floyd Mayweather brought his extravaganza to Mexico City and filled up the stands with two exhibitions and an abundance of Mexican-style fights on Saturday.

Big banging Mexican fighter Alan Picasso (29-0-1, 16 KOs) slugged it out with Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (21-5, 17 KOs) and though he won by unanimous decision at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in front of more than 20,000 fans, he may not be ready for the A-team just yet.

Picasso (pictured on the left) needed a few rounds to acclimate to the hard-charging Hovhannisyan who had last fought in February of last year in a breathtaking war with Luis Nery. Mexico City fans expected violence and got it.

Maybe a little too much.

From the opening round Hovhannisyan worked the body of Picasso and his high-waisted trunks. A few blows landed on the beltline and the Mexico City fighter immediately complained.

That’s good news for future Picasso foes.

Though the referee allowed the body shots to remain part of the fight, he eventually deducted a point from the Armenian fighter and that’s when things began to slide downward for Crazy A.

Picasso had the height, youth and supposedly power advantage but never came close to knocking down Hovhannisyan. He did use his youth to good advantage by out-working his foe toward the second half of the fight. And by using his reach from a distance at times.

But for 12 rounds both scrapped with few breaks in the fight.

Hovhannisyan taught Picasso some lessons with the right to the body followed by the right to the head. He scored with that combination repeatedly.

Picasso showed off energy and more energy. The power shots did not seem to faze the Armenian fighter but after 12 rounds all three judges saw Picasso the winner 120-108, 118-110 twice.

Mayweather-Gotti

In the main event Mayweather and John Gotti III, grandson of New York mobster boss of the same name, clashed again in an exhibition. Unlike a year ago, their fight was not suspended by a referee. But there were shenanigans of a different sort.

Last year, Mayweather and Gotti met in Miami and when their exhibition was stopped suddenly by referee Kenny Bayless, a riot erupted. This time, the first round lasted longer than the agreed upon two-minute frame and Gotti complained to the referee Hector Afu. The round stopped suddenly.

In the second round, Gotti complained twice about blows behind the head. They were actually blows to the back of the ear due to his keeping his head down, the referee Afu agreed they were illegal and stopped the fight. Mayweather motioned for him to leave the boxing ring and he left. Another referee, Alfredo Uruzquieta replaced him. The fight resumed.

Gotti showed decent boxing moves, strength and good speed but when you are boxing one of the best of all time its going to be like pulling a sled up a mountain. Mayweather did whatever he wanted.

The last two rounds saw Mayweather unleash pinpoint combinations on the bigger and stronger Gotti who tried his best to respond. Neither fighter was ever in danger of being hurt. Gotti landed some blows but never hurt Mayweather and vice versa.

Fans seemed puzzled by the end of the six-round fight despite knowing it was always an exhibition.

“Thank you Mexico City,” said Mayweather.

Other Bouts

A battle between Mexican super bantamweights saw Guadalajara’s Cesar Vaca (17-1-1, 11 KOs) use clever movement and pinpoint punching to defeat hometown pugilist Luis Rodriguez (15-1, 14 KOs) by majority decision after 10 rounds.

Southpaw slugger Rodriguez never could figure out Vaca who was faster and more agile. The judges scored it 95-95, 98-92, 97-93 for Vaca. There were no knockdowns.

Vaca must have learned a thing or two from sparring with Japan’s “Monster” Naoya Inoue.

Highly touted Las Vegas fighter Curmel Moton (5-0, 4 KOs) needed less than one-minute to unravel Mexico’s Victor Vazquez (5-3-1) with a three-punch knockout at 55 seconds of the first round of a lightweight fight. Moton is promoted by Mayweather Promotions.

Super middleweight prospect Aaron Silva (15-1, 12 KOs) fought last-minute replacement Alberto Artiga (6-14) and used less than four rounds to end the fight by technical knockout. Silva looked composed and patient in pressing the fight till the referee stopped the fight.

In a female light flyweight match between Mexican women, Cecilia Rodriguez (14-1-1) of Monterrey withstood the constant barrages by Mexico City’s Arlenn Sanchez (5-7-4) to win by unanimous decision after eight rounds.

An exhibition fight saw “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and Argentina’s Damian Coria spar eight rounds.

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Even when Floyd “Money” Mayweather was a youngster his reputation as a superb boxer was known. Back in the 1990s he was gathering interest from promoters and fans like a bright light attracts moths.

Decades have passed but interest remains in Mayweather.

The five-division world champion travels to Mexico City to fight John Gotti III on Saturday Aug. 24, at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. DAZN pay-per-view will stream the Mayweather Promotions event.

It’s an exhibition but there are several actual sanctioned pro fights including Alan Picasso (28-0-1, 16 KOs) versus Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (21-4, 17 KOs) in a regional WBC super bantamweight title clash.

“I’m back in Mexico again,” said Mayweather who visited before in 2013 to promote his fight then against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. “The pedigree of Mexico is truly unbelievable.”

Every time a fighter steps in the boxing ring there is a danger of getting permanently injured by a blow. At age 47 can Mayweather continue to evade that one fatal blow?

Mayweather is not the only boxer who continued to fight in exhibitions. The great heavyweight champion Jack Johnson similarly fought in exhibitions long after his pro career ended. Now Mayweather faces the bigger Gotti again.

“Floyd honored his word and gave me the rematch. He didn’t have to,” said Gotti who fought Mayweather a year ago, but it was suddenly stopped. “We have to get in the trenches here and fight. There is no other way. If he has to get knocked out; if I have to get knocked out, so be it. It has to happen. Whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen.”

Early Mayweather

As a boxing journalist I always kept an ear open for top amateurs coming up. I remember hearing from amateur boxers like Carlos Navarro about Floyd Mayweather. And when Augie Sanchez defeated Mayweather in the amateurs it was a mind-blowing event in the amateur world.

Sanchez and Mayweather, both Las Vegans, fought many times in the amateurs, but never met as pros.

The first time I ever saw Mayweather perform as a pro was on the under card of Oscar De La Hoya when he moved up another weight division to face Mexico City’s Miguel Angel Gonzalez for the WBC super lightweight world title in Las Vegas on Jan. 18, 1997 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

I attended as a spectator for that event. I was in-between jobs and was not reporting on the fight. But I did want to see the impressive fight card. I sat with about a half dozen friends in the second row next to actor Mario Lopez.

We had just arrived when Mayweather dispatched his foe Jerry Cooper in the first round. I had wanted to see him perform and urged my friends to arrive early. We caught the stoppage. Back then Mayweather was a knockout puncher at the super featherweight level. Sharp and accurate.

Think Shakur Stevenson but with a punch.

Mayweather was a sure thing. He proved it against the best like Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez who he defeated for his first world title in 1998. Rudy Hernandez, brother and trainer of Genaro, stopped the fight in the eighth round. It was only the second loss of that fighter’s career and the last time he ever fought.

Once I visited a Mayweather training camp that took place in Big Bear, California. Back then it was a popular place to train. It was common to see fighters like Mike Tyson, Shane Mosley and others in the mountain environment.

When Mayweather was in Big Bear he showed off incredible gymnastic feats on one of the exercise apparatus. It was like watching an Olympic gymnast. Aside from agility and reflexes he is naturally a very strong athlete.

I followed his career closely after that Big Bear visit in the 90s. And when he was signed to fight the always dangerous Diego “Chico” Corrales who had won 29 out of 33 fights via knockout, I knew that Mayweather would take advantage of the openings. He convincingly defeated Corrales by stoppage after numerous knockdowns in January 2001.

Mayweather would go on to move up in weight divisions. I remember talking to him as he was leaving the boxing ring after defeating Jose Luis Castillo in their first encounter. Fans booed the decision and the Las Vegas fighter was angry that people thought otherwise.

He trounced Castillo in the lightweight title rematch.

And when he fought the great Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City, many forget that Mayweather was the “B” side. I remember journalists laughing that I picked Mayweather to defeat Gatti. He knocked him down in the first round and ended the match in six.

Mayweather finally got his due when he met Zab “Super” Judah in April 2006 for the IBF welterweight world title in Las Vegas. Before that match people wondered if moving up in weight to face someone faster would be too much for his talent.

“Timing beats speed,” Mayweather told me during a Beverly Hills press conference for that fight.

Mayweather defeated Judah and would then ease past fellow welterweight titlist Carlos Baldomir and then defeat Oscar De La Hoya by split decision. From that point on he was “the man.”

Mayweather retired in 2017 after defeating Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. He was later voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021.

“I ask parents to bring their children to come watch the greatest fighter that ever lived to perform here once and only once in Mexico City,” said promoter Richard Schaefer.

But all those wins came when he was in his peak. He’s almost 50 now. Despite this being an exhibition, any blow could be the one to end a career tragically like a trapeze artist without a net.

It’s dangerous.

Other Bouts

A tantalizing super bantamweight clash between Picasso and Hovhannisyan could be interesting. The Armenian fighter has never been in a boring fight and last year his contest against Luis Nery was one of the top fights in 2023. Expect another great fight.

Also on the undercard will be Curmel Moton who is promoted by Mayweather. He’s been the talk of Las Vegas with his speed and power. Moton (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Mexico’s Victor Vazquez (5-2-1) in a lightweight fight.

All total about a dozen bouts are scheduled including another exhibition fight between former world champion Victor “Vicious” Ortiz and Rodrigo Damian Coria.

Fights to Watch

Sat. DAZN ppv 4:30 p.m. David Picasso (28-0-1) vs Azat Hovhannisyan (21-4); Floyd Mayweather vs John Gotti III (exhibition).

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