By Cliff Rold

It is the sort of paradox one can find only in the wild, wonderful weird world of boxing.  Flyweight, one of boxing’s oldest and most storied weight classes, holds the distinction of being the weight class with the longest current title lineage in the sport.  Since Miguel Canto began his run as champion in January 1975, recognized by the WBC and Ring Magazine, the line has gone unbroken.  Daisuke Naito continues today in that line as it nears its 35th year.

Conversely, the division has had multiple title claimants for much longer.  Since the WBC and WBA split recognition between Salvatore Burruni and Horacio Acavallo in 1966, the division hasn’t had a unified titlist or unification fight. 

Neither the current WBA man, Denkaosan Kaovichit (48-1-1, 20 KO), nor his challenger on Tuesday in Osaka, Japan, Daiki Kameda (15-2, 11 KO) had even reached zygote status yet.  There was no YouTube yet either.  Kaovichit’s win, a majority decision at 115-113 twice and 114-114, could set the stage for a change in the unification fortunes at 112 lbs.

With YouTube, there can be a report card. 

Grades
Pre-Fight: Speed – Kaovichit B; Kameda B/Post: B; B+
Pre-Fight: Power – Kaovichit B-; Kameda B/Post: B; B
Pre-Fight: Defense – Kaovichit B; Kameda B+/Post: B+; B
Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Kaovichit B+; Kameda C+/Post: A; B-

It is always important to remember that, while quality speed and power are impressive attributes, they are not skills.  Skill is learned through practice, application, and experience.  Kameda on Tuesday had slight edges in speed and power.  The skill of the titlist sent him home in defeat.

To his credit, Kameda showed a lot of growth since his first defeat at the hands of Naito.  That the growth was exhibited at his expense was a credit to the titlist.  Kaovichit went through the whole bag of tricks.  When the 20-year old Kameda stopped using his jab around the third, Kaovichit went to work with shoulder feints, freezing the younger man and clinching quickly to halt any offensive tide.  Inside, more than once, he popped the left shoulder toward the head of Kameda or slipped little rights to the back of his head. 

He also showed savvy in using the jab to open up rights which looked like they would be big but ended only touching as Kaovichit stepped away.  He showed off all of the little things once can pick up with 13 years in the pro ranks.  Kameda was visibly frustrated through large tracts of the middle of the fight but never resorted to body slams. 

It helped that Kameda came out all wrong.  Typically an aggressor, Kameda boxed more at the start and spent too much of the fight head hunting.  He needed an early attack to the body if he hoped to wear down the older man and instead let Kaovichit get settled.  In round four, it was Kameda who showed the early signs of fatigue as Kaovichit raked his body and made sure to stay off the ropes where Kameda’s high guard search for hooks could be most effective.

Despite game plan flaws, there were round early and late where Kameda made a strong case for himself.  He often landed the harder, sharper shots and, late in the fight, was carrying the action as Kaovichit boxed with a lead.  He just never sustained his rushes.  For instance, in round six, Kameda opened with a flurry of activity which had the crowd roaring but Kaovichit muddied the waters and, by the bell, the early burst was swallowed by the titlist’s often monotonous but steady ring generalship.  Even in the final four rounds, when Kameda found Kaovichit with his back to the ropes, it was the veteran leading him there and determining how long he would stay. 

Kaovichit knew how to beat a fighter who wouldn’t jab his way in.  Kameda got another lesson in the gap between the very top of his class and the rest of the division.

Looking Ahead

Because he showed some improvements, the future can still be bright for Daiki Kameda.  At 20, he has years ahead of him and has competed in his first 17 fights with two of the very best in the world.  Both of those fights were losses, but he will continue to learn.

What rewards would await him?  Much of that could be determined by his big brother.  Koki Kameda (21-0, 14 KO) has a tall order in a Naito who has come into his own as a champion.  If he wins, it will mean even bigger business for Japanese boxing and could mean a big day at the bank for Kaovichit.

How big is Koki?  There were estimates of 50 million viewers on Japanese television when he fought his first major title bout at 108 lbs. versus Juan Landaeta in 2006.  When he aims for his second, against Naito next month, he’ll do it from the Super Arena in Saitama which can hold 37,000 fans.  

The capacity for Central Gym, the location of Tuesday’s bout, is less than 9,000.

Koki is aiming to defeat the first man who beat Daiki; if he does, and elects to chase the second, Flyweight could have a unification fight for the first time since the Lyndon Johnson administration.

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com