Kameda beats Ruiz to keep WBA bantamweight title

we expect to see you to continue holding the WBA Bantamweight title for another couple of seasons!

As long as all the fights are in Japan.

I wonder where this fight occurred?

It was in Osaka.

http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/12/04/4458789/kameda-beats-ruiz-to-keep-wba.html

I wonder where this fight occurred? Can Kameda actually ever win without a split-decision vote by Japanese judges?

Guys, have you ever watched boxing? it's a title bout, of course the judges are not Japanese (to be precise, they were South Korean, South African, and Dutch). Usually the champion defends the title at home (but it also depends on the promoter's arrangements, the purse split, etc.). And usually the judges slightly favor the champion, any challenger knows that and fights for a clear win. Apparently Ruiz was slightly better yesterday, but the judges (at least two of them) saw it differently.

Timeon, you wrote: " Apparently Ruiz was slightly better yesterday..." Might I ask why/how this is apparent? I am certainly not qualified to judge boxing. (I train in another martial art, but no where near being qualified to judge there either). Both me and my viewing companion (a serious martial artist), both had Kameda as the winner before any judges scoring came out. I am curious as to your take.

Tight game. Ruiz may have deivered the higher number of punches but they were well handled and guarded by Kameda. Eventually Ruiz wore out and Kameda was able to turn things around at the end. Maybe a close call but believe Kameda had a good strategy and deserved the win.

What's the problem with the fights taking place in Japan ? The US and Japan are where the boxers can take the best paychecks due to the good television deals. It's good that these guys can make a living.

Nothing wrong with Osaka.

I actually did watch the fight. Stumbled upon it just as it was about to start. It was on TBS last night. Live starting around 8:30pm and running overtime into about 9:12pm. (Thankfully TBS kept broadcasting).

It was a good fight. Ruiz looked like he was the stronger for the first half, but he wore down. Kameda deserved the win, but it was indeed tight. And the judges were NOT Japanese.

timeon - I think you are the first person to mention the nationality of the judges in these comments.

Well, Kameda's had 2 fights out of his 29 pro fights out of Japan (in Mexico), so that's something. More than his brother's done anyway. A quick scan of Wikipedia (not the most accurate source, but boxing's not the most accurate sport) showed that the current WBC champions at all weight divisions have fought 40% of their fights outside of their home countries, Kameda and Takashi Uchiyama aside. Those have done so 4.2%.

Doesn't show the fights since they became champion (could work that out later), but it does show on the whole people, even champions, are willing to fight and take people on outside their home country.

Taj, sorry for the confusing statement there. I love boxing, but I'm not a judge. I said "apparently" because I checked several boxing sites and the articles mostly favored Ruiz by a slight margin

Not so sure, cracaphat. Perhaps the term barnburner may have been more appropriate, defined as a "very "tight" boxing match". http://www.sportspundit.com/boxing/terms/487-barnburner

Thanks for the reply, Timeon.

I do agree though, with allswellinjapan, that Kameda deserved the win.

And of course they fight were the money is, as Clément stated.

Japan boxer beats challenger by decision in Japan. No huge surprises there.

^^^ very very true. have 0 respect for japanese boxers who stay in country and "defend" their titles.

The Knights all admire the fighting style of the young Sir Kameda, he shows absolutely no fear in the face of very aggressive and experienced opponents. One of the the very rare Japanese fighters to take on and beat the Golden Triangle of Mexico, Thailand and the Philippines. Carry on the good work young Sir, we expect to see you to continue holding the WBA Bantamweight title for another couple of seasons!