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kenyan_cheena · 11-26-2014, 06:51 AM

ESPN

Boxing

Updated: November 22, 2008 11.15 AM ET

Kameda still in title frame
after upset win over Okubo

By Larry Holman
ESPN.com
Archive

Japanese flyweight Koki Kameda avoided a likely relegation from the IBL's World Championship Conference and also kept himself in position for a possible title shot with an upset win over compatriot Ichiro Okubo in Tokyo earlier today. In another dramatic fight for him, Kameda made an impressive start before withstanding a mid-fight rally from Okubo and then finishing the contest in dominant fashion to take a unanimous decision verdict (115-112, 115-111, 115-112). Okubo dropped Kameda with an uppercut right on the bell at the end of round six. While he landed more punches than Kameda (299-267), Okubo was simply not busy enough when it mattered, leading to the demise of his nine-fight, twenty-six month winning streak.

Kameda (24-6(15)) came into the bout ranked at #7, having fallen there from #2 after his stage two loss to Teko Davids. He fought bravely in that clash, which was a Fight of the Year candidate, and some observers felt the IBL was somewhat harsh in dumping him from the top five. The move was seen as more of a comment on Kameda's recent struggles, though, as the defeat concluded a period where he had gone 2-4 in his last six contests. Three of those four losses were in official world title eliminators, and in each case the opponent who defeated him went on to claim the championship. It remains to be seen what the IBL will think of this win over Okubo, but it should be enough to at least move him up into 5th place in the rankings.

Okubo (36-5-1(22)) was ranked 4th beforehand, and while a nine-fight winning run is nothing to snort at, his list of opponents was not exactly distinguished. A victory over Kameda would have changed that, but now he has to go back to the drawing board. In the co-feature, 9th-ranked welterweight Shoji Ohashi did enough to retain his place in the WCC when he recorded a 7th round TKO of Virgil Akins. The fight was stopped due to a cut on the inside of the St. Louis native's right eyebrow. The wound was opened within a minute of the opening bell, and became worse as the bout progressed. The ringside doctor examined it early in round four and then again in the 7th, where the fight was called off at the 0:21 mark.

Ohashi improved to 22-3-1(15) while Akins fell to 17-4-1(11) and will be competing in the International Conference next year. In another flyweight contest earlier on the card, Hiroyuki Ebihara scored a 9th round KO of Panama's Hilario Zapata. Ebihara held the upperhand for most of the fight, although Zapata went punch for punch with him in an action-packed 6th round. The South American was dropped twice in round nine, with Ebihara's left hook doing the damage on both occasions. The first came after forty seconds of the frame, the second with only ten seconds remaining. Zapata was counted out after the bell, falling to 21-3-1(10) and out of the WCC. 10th-ranked Ebihara (23-5-2(16)) will have a nervous wait to see if the win saved him from relegation.

Larry Holman is ESPN.com's boxing writer.

11-26-2014, 06:51 AM	#2030
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	*ESPN* *Boxing* Updated: November 22, 2008 11.15 AM ET Kameda still in title frame after upset win over Okubo By Larry Holman ESPN.com Archive Japanese flyweight Koki Kameda avoided a likely relegation from the IBL's World Championship Conference and also kept himself in position for a possible title shot with an upset win over compatriot Ichiro Okubo in Tokyo earlier today. In another dramatic fight for him, Kameda made an impressive start before withstanding a mid-fight rally from Okubo and then finishing the contest in dominant fashion to take a unanimous decision verdict (115-112, 115-111, 115-112). Okubo dropped Kameda with an uppercut right on the bell at the end of round six. While he landed more punches than Kameda (299-267), Okubo was simply not busy enough when it mattered, leading to the demise of his nine-fight, twenty-six month winning streak. Kameda (24-6(15)) came into the bout ranked at #7, having fallen there from #2 after his stage two loss to Teko Davids. He fought bravely in that clash, which was a Fight of the Year candidate, and some observers felt the IBL was somewhat harsh in dumping him from the top five. The move was seen as more of a comment on Kameda's recent struggles, though, as the defeat concluded a period where he had gone 2-4 in his last six contests. Three of those four losses were in official world title eliminators, and in each case the opponent who defeated him went on to claim the championship. It remains to be seen what the IBL will think of this win over Okubo, but it should be enough to at least move him up into 5th place in the rankings. Okubo (36-5-1(22)) was ranked 4th beforehand, and while a nine-fight winning run is nothing to snort at, his list of opponents was not exactly distinguished. A victory over Kameda would have changed that, but now he has to go back to the drawing board. In the co-feature, 9th-ranked welterweight Shoji Ohashi did enough to retain his place in the WCC when he recorded a 7th round TKO of Virgil Akins. The fight was stopped due to a cut on the inside of the St. Louis native's right eyebrow. The wound was opened within a minute of the opening bell, and became worse as the bout progressed. The ringside doctor examined it early in round four and then again in the 7th, where the fight was called off at the 0:21 mark. Ohashi improved to 22-3-1(15) while Akins fell to 17-4-1(11) and will be competing in the International Conference next year. In another flyweight contest earlier on the card, Hiroyuki Ebihara scored a 9th round KO of Panama's Hilario Zapata. Ebihara held the upperhand for most of the fight, although Zapata went punch for punch with him in an action-packed 6th round. The South American was dropped twice in round nine, with Ebihara's left hook doing the damage on both occasions. The first came after forty seconds of the frame, the second with only ten seconds remaining. Zapata was counted out after the bell, falling to 21-3-1(10) and out of the WCC. 10th-ranked Ebihara (23-5-2(16)) will have a nervous wait to see if the win saved him from relegation. Larry Holman is ESPN.com's boxing writer. Last edited by kenyan_cheena; 07-01-2015 at 07:29 AM.