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by Cliff Rold - In each of the last two years, American fans were treated to a pleasant surprise from the land of the rising sun. In 2013, Nihito Arakawa faced undefeated Lightweight Omar Figueroa and gave him a fight every fan was talking about the next day. Earlier this year, Yoshihiro Kamegai gave former Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight titlist Robert Guerrero twelve hard, bloody rounds.
It was enough to wonder for some US fans not often exposed to the Asian market if there was more where that came from?
The answer is yes, and Arakawa and Kamegai don’t even represent the good stuff.
Since Flyweight Yoshio Shirai won his country’s first world title in 1952, Japan has regularly produced some of the best fighters in the world. Hall of Famer Fighting Harada, Yoko Gushiken, Jiro Watanabe, and Masao Ohba are just a few of their great champions. With plenty of fans at home, and plying their trade at lighter weights, they haven’t always been available in English speaking markets.
This Saturday on Showtime (9 PM EST/PST), US fans get their latest looks at the rare upper quality talent from Japan making a home for himself away from home.
Due to the boxing politics back home, 23-year old WBO Bantamweight titlist Tomoki Kameda (30-0, 19 KO) is persona no grata in Japan (details and rumors available elsewhere). That goes for an entire fighting family. He is the third of three brothers to win major titles in the sport behind elder siblings Koki and Daiki. [Click Here To Read More]
It was enough to wonder for some US fans not often exposed to the Asian market if there was more where that came from?
The answer is yes, and Arakawa and Kamegai don’t even represent the good stuff.
Since Flyweight Yoshio Shirai won his country’s first world title in 1952, Japan has regularly produced some of the best fighters in the world. Hall of Famer Fighting Harada, Yoko Gushiken, Jiro Watanabe, and Masao Ohba are just a few of their great champions. With plenty of fans at home, and plying their trade at lighter weights, they haven’t always been available in English speaking markets.
This Saturday on Showtime (9 PM EST/PST), US fans get their latest looks at the rare upper quality talent from Japan making a home for himself away from home.
Due to the boxing politics back home, 23-year old WBO Bantamweight titlist Tomoki Kameda (30-0, 19 KO) is persona no grata in Japan (details and rumors available elsewhere). That goes for an entire fighting family. He is the third of three brothers to win major titles in the sport behind elder siblings Koki and Daiki. [Click Here To Read More]
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