By Jake Donovan
Tomoki Kameda began the year as an undefeated bantamweight champion and an integral part of adviser Al Haymon's plans for his growing Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series.
While he's still regarded as one of the best bantamweights in the world, there remains a bit of work to be done after suffering his second loss in as many fights. Both have come versus Jamie McDonnell, the latest occurring in their CBS-televised rematch Sunday afternoon at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Four months after dropping a debatable decision in a fight where he floored McDonnell, Kameda (31-2, 19KOs) once again found himself on the wrong side of the judges' scoring preference. This time, it was the former bantamweight champ who was dropped, suffering a knockdown midway through the 12th and final round.
As it turned out, Kameda still would have lost the fight even if he stayed on his feet and had won the final round. Scores of 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 all landed heavily in favor of the visiting Brit, while the CBS broadcast team all thought that Kameda was comfortably ahead even with the knockdown.
Not only did Kameda agree with the broadcast team, but he was surprised there was even any doubt this time around, much less losing the fight.
"I thought I won this fight a lot more clearly than the first fight," Kameda claimed during his post-fight interview. "I thought I fought according to plan... I don't know (what the judges saw)."
Kameda is now winless since a 12-round decision over Alejandro 'Payasito' Hernandez last November, in what was the last defense of his bantamweight title. Even in that fight, he was forced to settle for a strangely scored split decision.
In proceeding with the planned unification bout with McDonnell prior to their first fight, Kameda was unceremoniously stripped of his WBO title for agreeing to face a secondary titlist from another organization (WBA).
Needless to say, it hasn't been the best year for the youngest of the fighting Kameda brothers, who for the third straight fight has struggled to leave a favorable impression on the judges.
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene
