Jamie McDonnell retained his WBA bantamweight belt on Sunday with a unanimous decision over Japan’s Tomoki Kameda in a rematch of their title fight earlier this year.
The 29-year-old Brit McDonnell knocked Kameda down in the final round as he won on all three judges’ scorecards, 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112, at the American Bank Center arena.
“I felt in control all the way through,” McDonnell said. “I did catch him [in the 12th] and from there I sailed to victory.”
Photo: AP
McDonnell scored the only knockdown of the fight when he hit Kameda with a straight right hand that landed behind the ear and sent the 24-year-old Japanese fighter to the canvas.
It was a straight shot by McDonnell in the 12th as he timed his punch when former world champion Kameda was stepping back and off balance. Kameda was not hurt by the blow and immediately got up and indicated to the referee he was ready to continue. McDonnell said he thought moving forward and keeping busy helped him get the decision.
“The jab was the key to this fight. I threw it more than I threw anything,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell and Kameda were fighting for the WBA’s “regular” bantamweight title, a rung below Juan Carlos Payano’s WBA undisputed crown.
McDonnell, of Doncaster, England, improved to 26-2-1 with 12 knockouts as he ran his unbeaten streak to 19 consecutive fights.
He won the 118-pound title in March last year and defended it against Kameda in May in another scintillating fight in the Lone Star State. McDonnell also won that fight on points, despite getting knocked down in the third round.
Kameda was hoping to avenge the only loss of his career and many in the crowd thought he had done just that, jeering the decision, especially the judge who had McDonnell winning by seven points.
Kameda, who dropped to 31-2, 19 knockouts, comes from a boxing family. He was born in Osaka and moved to Mexico when he was 15. At one time he and his two brothers were all world champions together.
Both fighters came out willing to trade punches from the opening bell.
McDonnell was the aggressor, backing Kameda up and cutting off the ring.
However, Kameda did not wilt under the constant pressure. Despite throwing fewer punches, he was able to pick his spots and often beat the champion to the punch.
Kameda was upset and said it is the second-straight time he has been denied a decision.
“I thought I won this fight a lot clearer than the last fight,” he said. “I did everything right. I had the right game plan.”
In an uninspiring main event, American Anthony Dirrell easily outpointed Marco Antonio Rubio of Mexico in a 10-round super middleweight bout.
Dirrell was fighting for the first time since losing his title to Badou Jack four months ago in Chicago.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just