Bad boy Kameda defeats champ Naito for WBC title

By Dan Sloan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Brash challenger Koki Kameda defeated champion Daisuke Naito in a 12-round unanimous decision to capture the WBC flyweight title and extend his undefeated record on Sunday.

The 23-year-old Kameda, known for his showboating, had predicted a third-round knockout but it turned out to be a tactical contest, with neither fighter knocked down and the youngster landing just a few more key blows.

Kameda (22-0), in ringside comments, thanked his supporters after the decision.

"For all those fans, I felt your support," said Kameda, who before the fight pledged to marry his childhood sweetheart if he emerged victorious.

"It's still a dream."

Promoters had touted the all-Japanese fight between the 35-year-old Naito and "bad boy" Kameda as a "battle of destiny", after an earlier bout between the champion and Kameda's younger brother Daiki turned ugly, with Naito keeping the WBC crown.

The fight against Daiki in 2007, in which Koki was in his brother's corner, saw Daiki temporarily suspended after a violent throw-down of Naito during the fight, while his father and trainer Shiro also had his licence suspended for abusing the referee.

Koki escaped with a warning after microphones recorded him telling his younger brother to elbow Naito in the eye.

Naito had won the title in 2007, defeating Thailand's Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, after losing to him in his first title shot in 2002.