CEBU CITY—The boxing craze here reaches new heights when Namibian Paulus Ambunda stakes his World Boxing Association bantamweight crown against Japanese Tomoki Kameda tonight at Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
This will be the first time that two foreigners will headline a fight card involving a world championship in this premier Southern city, according to chief promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud.
Aptly dubbed “Battle of the Undefeated,” the 12-round bout to be beamed live by Tokyo Broadcasting System in Japan pits the brash Ambunda (20-0, 10 KOs) against the pony-tailed Kameda (27-0, 18 KOs).
The protagonists easily made the weight yesterday, with the 32-year-old Ambunda hitting the scales at 117 pounds and Kameda, 22, coming in at 117.5.
Tomoki is the youngest among the famed fighting Kameda brothers. Koki, 26, is the World Boxing Association bantamweight champion and Daiki, 24, is a former WBA flyweight titlist.
So popular is Tomoki that 80 Japanese journalists, including a 40-man crew from TBS, which brought in high-tech equipment from Singapore, are in town to cover the nine-bout card that includes the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight championship between Marlon Tapales and Fredirex Rodriguez.
The 21-year-old Tapales (22-2, 9 KOs) weighed in at 115 lb while the 25-year-old Rodriguez (11-2, 8 KOs) checked in at 117.
A planeload of Japanese supporters and sponsors also arrived direct from Tokyo.
Ambunda, who is fighting for the first time outside of Namibia, however, dismissed the strong show of support for Tomoki.
“I am sorry for Tomoki and the Japanese for they will be disappointed,” said Ambunda, who snared the bantamweight crown from Thai Purluang Sor Singyu by unanimous decision on March 2.
Sor Singyu, on the other hand, seized the title at the expense of local hero AJ Banal, whom he stopped last Oct. 20 in Manila.
Though he is giving up at least four inches in height and reach to the 5-foot-8 Tomoki, Ambunda said he’ll hit the challenger “like a baby” and retain his title convincingly.
Infuriated by Ambunda’s pronouncements, Tomoki promised to win by knockout and become the third Kameda champion.
Tomoki has fought 15 times in Mexico, eking out 10 knockouts, and also boasts of victories over Filipinos Rey Las Pinas (4th round KO), Monico Laurente, Dandy Toei and Nathan Bolcio, all via unanimous decision.