DAISUKE NAITO vs KOKI KAMEDA

It’s a “revenge of the brother” fight in Tokyo on Sunday when unbeaten Koki Kameda challenges the much more experienced Daisuke Naito for the WBC flyweight title.

Two years ago Naito pounded out a one-sided points win over Koki’s younger brother, Daiki, who although undefeated had no answer to the toughness, seasoning and busy, awkwardly effective style of the older man.

Koki has always been considered the more talented of the two bothers. The 23-year-old southpaw has won 21 fights in a row and he is a former light-flyweight champion, having captured the title in his 12th fight when he survived a heavy knockdown to win a very close decision over the Venezuelan Juan Jose Landaeta.

After just one title defence, a smart-boxing display when he clearly beat Landaeta in a rematch, Kameda moved up the flyweight division.

Koki’s chance to become a two-weight-division was delayed due to the storm created in Japanese boxing circles by his brother’s fight with Naito. With the fight slipping steadily away from Daiki, the brothers’ father and trainer, Shoji, in effect told him to win by any means necessary, while Koki also urged his brother to rough up Naito.

A beaten and frustrated Daiki resorted to fouls that included throwing Naito to the canvas. He had three points deducted and was lucky not to have been disqualified. The upshot was that the Japanese commission suspended Shoji indefinitely from performing a second’s duties, Daiki was suspended for a year and Koki was severely reprimanded.

The brothers apologised to Naito, but, with the family in disgrace in Japanese boxing, Koki relocated to Mexico for a spell to continue his career, which I interpreted as a bit of a cooling-off period. A contrite Koki resumed his career in Japan earlier this year with two stoppage wins over hopelessly outclassed opponents. Now comes what is surely one of the most eagerly anticipated fights in Japanese boxing history as Koki goes in against the veteran champion who outclassed his bother.

This is a fascinating clash of youth against experience.

Naito, 35, is one of those fighters who never admits defeat. He turned his career around, to the great surprise of the boxing community, by defeating Thailand’s formidable Pongsaklek to become champion in 2007 — five years after having been blown away in 17 seconds by the Thai boxer in the quickest finish in flyweight championship history. On Sunday Naito makes his sixth title defence, which includes a bitterly contested draw with old rival Pongsaklek.

Kameda, who turned 23 earlier this month, has the wonderful advantage of youth, being 12 years younger than the champion, and he is the more polished boxer. Naito, though, is the type of fighter who finds a way to way. He makes unorthodox moves and throws punches from all angles, but I think he is probably the type of fighter who looks limited from outside the ropes but is a very difficult man to fight. Naito's opponents never know where the next punch is coming from, and his valour and desire for victory are traits that have won Naito a big following in Japan — he is likely to be the crowd’s favourite on Sunday.

I have detected signs of wear and tear on Naito, though. He had a struggle before stopping the willing but limited Tomonobu Shimizu, who was right in the fight for eight rounds before wilting under Naito’s fierce attacks, and another Japanese challenger, Shingo Yamaguchi, obliged Naito to dig deep before the champion won in the 11th round.

In his last fight, Naito looked positively shaky when outpointing

Xiong Zhao Zhong, a Chinese pocket Hercules who floored the Japanese boxer in the sixth and rocked him badly in at least three other rounds. Naito was cut over both eyes in that fight and was caught far too easily by the looping punches of a strong but crude opponent.

Perhaps Naito underestimated the little-known, inexperienced Chinese challenger, but he almost lost his title in what would have been a major upset.

That fight could indicate that, after a long, blood-and-guts career, Naito is ready to lose in a crushing way. Yet Naito has surprised his critics in the past and, in a fight of pride and passion, he is likely to be as prepared mentally and physically as he can possibly be for Sunday’s fight.

Naito can punch hard, he is well-seasoned and resolute and his unconventional, punches-whirling style could give Kameda some extremely uncomfortable moments.

My sense, though, is that this is Kameda’s time and that the torch is about to be passed. Kameda is a poised and classy fighter who keeps his hands up and looks to place his punches with precision. He showed the heart of a fighter when he got off the canvas to beat Landaeta, and he demonstrated ring intelligence when he improved on his earlier performance to outbox the Venezuelan fighter comprehensively in the rematch.

Naito will give his all, but he seems to be ever-more vulnerable to cuts over the eyes and I can picture him being bloodied and under increasing pressure as Kameda ratchets up his punch-rate.

I am expecting a long, tough fight on Sunday, with Kameda landing often enough and hard enough from his southpaw stance to win by a late-rounds stoppage.