Tokyo: Japanese boxer Daiki Kameda said Wednesday he was giving up the International Boxing Federation super-flyweight title which he had retained despite controversy.
"I intend to give up the IBF (champion) belt," the 25-year-old fighter told reporters at Tokyo`s Narita airport before leaving for a two-month training camp in the US state of Florida.
"There are many strong boxers in Miami. I want to engage in boxing from scratch again."
Kameda lost to Venezuela`s Liborio Solis on a split decision in Osaka on December 3, in what would have been a unification title bout. Solis was stripped of his World Boxing Association super-flyweight title the day before for being overweight.
An IBF official incorrectly announced on the eve of the fight that Kameda`s title would have been left vacant if he lost to Solis.
But an IBF rule says a champion retains his crown regardless of the result of a title bout if his opponent fails to make the weight. Kameda accordingly kept his belt in the storm of confusion.
"The reason I lost is that I was weak. I must admit this," said Kameda, whose older and younger brothers Koki and Tomoki are reigning and former world boxing champions.
"I want to become a much stronger boxer. I must apologise to my fans and to the public for causing a big commotion."
AP
First Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 16:02
