By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Newly crowned WBC flyweight champion Koki Kameda (22-0, 14 KO’s) must face former champion and current interim champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (74-3-1, 39 KO’s) in a mandatory title defense next year.
The statement was made by the promoter of Pongsaklek even as the WBC hailed the tremendous success of the flyweight title fight in which the undefeated 23 year old Kameda dethroned fellow Japanese, 35 year old Daisuke Naito (35-3-3, 22 KO’s).
The WBC said that not only did the fight attract 20,000 paying patrons in a sold out arena it also recorded a remarkable 51.2 percent rating on the Tokyo Broadcasting System network which telecast the bout in Japan last November 29..
The ratings are believed to have set a new record and made the fight one of the biggest events in the history of boxing.
According to Thai media reports, promoter Wirat Wachiraratanawong said that the WBC had earlier ordered the winner of the Kameda-Naito fight to give Pongsaklek a mandatory shot at the title. Wirat disclosed that the title fight is set for sometime in March 2010 in Japan.
Meantime Koki Kameda’s younger brother, 20 year old Daiki Kameda (15-2, 11 KO’s) is expected to get a title crack at 33 year old WBA champion Denkaosan Kaovichit (48-1-1, 20 KO’s) in January or February 2010 although no decision has been made as to the venue for the title fight according to Denkaosan’s manager Niwat Laosuwannarat.