It wasn’t dynamic, convincing or the type of statement victory David Picasso wanted to produce as he moved one major step toward a showdown versus undisputed junior-featherweight champion Naoya Inoue by year’s end.
His advisor called it “workmanlike.”
Picasso himself said the Saturday triumph over Kyonosuke Kameda on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios at MGM Grand in Las Vegas came against “a quality opponent who gave me lessons to definitely think about for the next fight.”
Judges awarded Mexico’s 24-year-old Picasso, 32-0-1 (17 KOs), a majority decision victory by scores of 98-92 (Eric Cheek), 95-95 (Lisa Giampa), 97-93 (Chuck Migliore) over Kameda, 15-5-2.
Despite the close shave, WBC No. 1-ranked contender Picasso told BoxingScene and reporters afterward that he felt it was enough to distinguish himself as a qualified opponent for four-division champion Inoue, 30-0 (27 KOs), who can clinch the Picasso bout by defeating WBA interim champion Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev September 14 in Japan.
“Yes, [a title fight] has been something I’ve waited 17 years for – ever since I started fighting at age 7. This fight was really hard and complicated, but we came through,” Picasso said. “I was ready to prove my worth. This is what I’ve been waiting for and I’m ready to go for it all.”
Confronting an explosive, aggressive Japanese fighter in advance of meeting Inoue was a good thing, Picasso said after efforts to make him Inoue’s opponent in May fell through. Inoue proceeded to fight replacement opponent Ramon Cardenas, and survived a second-round knockdown to stop Cardenas in the eighth.
“I learned a lot and I really appreciated this fight, and the way it went because it’s a tough, honorable style,” Picasso said. “No matter how much I hit [Kameda] to the body, going low and trying to make him vulnerable there, he kept coming forward. A quality opponent who gave me lessons to definitely think about for the next fight.”
He said Kameda’s power shots were “fire, stronger than I thought. I thought he’d be more easy going. He definitely came with everything.
“In boxing and in life, you have lessons to learn, and this fight definitely provided me lessons that are valuable and will allow me to get back to the gym and work on those, preparing for an opponent that will bring a very different style.”
Picasso advisor Sean Gibbons professed Picasso “showed he has what it takes to get in there with Inoue. Physically, he’s still growing, but he has more skill than Cardenas and [recent Inoue opponents Marlon] Tapales and [Ye Joon Kim] … [Turki Alalshikh] has announced it, we’ve agreed to terms. As far as I know, everything is good.”
Picasso says he plans to scout Inoue for their Saudi Arabia showdown by attending the September fight in person.
“The intention is to go, to appreciate Inoue’s power and prowess in person and see what we have in front of us,” he said.
One element Picasso is hoping to capitalize upon is his 2 ½-inch reach and height advantages.
“There’s no secret weapon to beating Inoue. I’m never going to pretend I know it all. It’s all about learning, growing and that’s what I aim to do,” Picasso said.
“I do have some weapons from the longer range, being able to go to the body to hurt Inoue. It’s a matter of harnessing those lessons and skills moving forward.”
