Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007

Kyodo News

The Japan Boxing Commission slapped Daiki Kameda with a one-year suspension Monday as punishment for breaching regulations during his defeat to champion Daisuke Naito in a WBC flyweight title match last week.

Daiki Kameda KYODO PHOTO

"He defiled boxing and has lost the trust of fans," said JBC director Shinichi Saito.

Kameda's father and trainer Shiro, who was working the corner apparently directing his 18-year-old son to fight dirty at times, was hit with an indefinite suspension from the ring, the JBC said.

Koki Kameda, Daiki's older brother and former WBA light flyweight champion, will receive a disciplinary warning for his role in the fiasco.

Naito was in control throughout the match last Thursday at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum and successfully defended his title on a unanimous decision after Kameda resorted to underhand tactics and had three points deducted for violations that included lifting the champion and throwing him down in the 12th round.

Naito, 33, slammed Kameda at a press conference last Friday and accused his opponent of thumbing and punching him in the thighs.

Shiro Kameda insisted that there was no malice intended although he admitted that he should have stopped his son from continuing to fight dirty.

It is not the first time that the Kameda family has been accused of stirring up trouble in the ring.

Koki Kameda was heavily criticized after he won the WBA flyweight title in a controversial decision, despite being knocked down in the first round against Venezuelan Juan Landaeta in August last year.

Their father also received a reprimand for his involvement in a melee in the ringside seats when Daiki fought in September last year and was hit with another caution after using profanity toward a referee in March this year.

Daiki, the second-eldest of the three Kameda brothers, was aiming to become the youngest Japanese boxer to claim a world crown at 18 years, nine months, five days.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) Almost as soon as the final bell rang, Juan Diaz was looking ahead. Another lightweight title unification bout? Nope.

He wants Manny Pacquiao first. Question is: Will Pacquiao move up to 61 kg from 59 kg? And if he does, will he fight WBC lightweight champion David Diaz, Juan Diaz or someone else?

Juan Diaz has more gold to offer Pacquiao, but the big purse could come from a fight with David Diaz. Juan Diaz added the IBF belt to a collection that already included the WBA and WBO lightweight championships after his fight with Julio Diaz ended a second into the ninth round Saturday.

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