McDonnell-Kameda II will be unfolding this weekend at the American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas. And it looks like we could have another neck-and-neck war to look forward to. The PBC card will follow last weekend’s highly successful Santa Cruz-Mares – and if it comes anywhere close to emulating that level of excitement, fight fans will be grinning from ear to ear.
Jamie McDonnell, our #5 Bantamweight, first met with then-unbeaten Tomoki Kameda, our #6, last May. Before the 12-rounder began, many people deemed this a dangerous title defense for Britain’s McDonnell (26-2-1, 12 KO). And after the 29-year-old was knocked down in the 1st round, we started wondering if he’d bitten off more than he could chew against former WBO champ Kameda (31-1, 19 KO).
But McDonnell proved a lot of people wrong, climbing off the canvas and making the right adjustments to rally back and land a razor-thin Unanimous Decision. And by razor-thin, we do mean by the very slightest of margins; judges ringside favored McDonnell with scores of 114-113 (thrice). McDonnell had beaten the odds – just – defending his WBA Bantamweight strap for the second time, and handing Kameda his first loss.
And now McDonnell will be doing it all over again, returning to Texas for what will be only his second fight outside the UK. McDonnell is approaching another dangerous encounter, and not one he will be considered a heavy favorite in despite his May victory. Kameda, brother of boxer siblings Koki and Daiki, is a threat to any 118-pounder, and will be looking to upset his British conqueror and get right back on track.
If the 24-year-old Japanese standout can produce another monster right-hand like he did in the opener of their first clash, McDonnell could find himself in very deep waters. But McDonnell is also a very capable fighter, as we know. He may be the lighter hitter of the two, but he bangs harder than his record suggests. If an early knockout doesn’t present itself, this one should live up to the hype.
But will anything be different in McDonnell-Kameda II? Will both men climb through the ropes with different strategies up their sleeves? Or will we see a familiar vicious boxing match unfold? You can now see PBC’s video preview.
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