The International Boxing Federation’s fifth-ranked featherweight Tomoki Kameda of TMK GYM said on Sept. 15 in Osaka he will have a fight with eighth-ranked featherweight Lerato Dlamini of South Africa on Oct. 7 in Tokyo to decide the division’s second-ranked boxer.

  Speaking before a group of reporters at KWORLD3 Boxing Gym, the 32-year-old Kameda said the scheduled 12-rounder will be held at Tokyo Ota City General Gymnasium as part of the 3150FIGＨT vol.7 promoted by his eldest brother Koki Kameda, head of Kameda Promotion Co.

At present, nobody is ranked second in the division by the IBF. Reiya Abe of KG Yamato Boxing Gym is the division’s top ranked boxer.

  While Tomoki, who was a former World Boxing Organization bantamweight and a former World Boxing Council interim super bantamweight champion, had always wanted to take a crack at the World Boxing Association super bantamweight title as he was ranked 1st by the division after winning a title elimination bout in December 2021 for the then champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan.

  But the fight was not realized. Marlon Tapales of the Philippines wrested the title from Akhmadaliev in this past April. While Koki negotiated with Tapales for the possible fight with his brother, it fell through, which is why Tomoki is said to be aiming at challenging a world featherweight title. Tomoki is also ranked fifth in the featherweight division by the WBA at present.

  Koki said, ‘’Since the IBF is strict about the rankings, Tomoki would be ranked second if he wins the upcoming fight, and his title challenge would be realized next year.’’

  Tomoki said, ‘’I am in good condition because I have been sparring with Mexican and Philippine partners. I will put on the finishing touches on my condition in the next three weeks now that my opponent has been decided.’’

  Tomoki has a record of 40 wins, including 22 knockouts, against three losses, while the 29-year-old Dlamini has a 19-2 win-loss tally with 11 KOs.

  In this connection, the brothers’ father Shiro Kameda, who had been stripped of his trainer’s license by Japan Boxing Commission in 2010 by shouting abusive language to a JBC official in Koki’s WBC world flyweight title loss to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand, entered the gym as he was regranted the license in July. He is supposed to serve as a second for the Tomoki’s fight.