Former two-division Japanese champion Akio Kameda of Kyoei Boxing Gym died of cancer of rectum on Apr. 16, it was learned just recently. He was 65.

After turning pro in 1977 after a meritorious amateur career, southpaw Kameda was best known for his challenge to then undefeated World Boxing Association junior welterweight (super lightweight) champion Aaron Pryor of the United States for the latter’s title in Cincinnati in July 1982.

Though Kameda, who stood 1.80-meter tall, scored a knockdown in the opening round with a straight left, Pryor quickly stood up, rallied strongly and scored four knockdowns altogether for a sixth-round technical knockout win.

Kameda joined the International Boxing Federation’s Japanese branch in 1985 by relinquishing his Japanese junior welterweight title. He took a crack at then IBF super lightweight champion Terry Marsh of Britain for the latter’s title in 1987 in London and suffered a seventh-round TKO loss, which was Kameda’s last fight.

Kameda’s Japanese welterweight title winning fight with champion Shoji Tsujimoto of Yonekura Boxing Gym in April 1978 is still regarded as one of the best bouts in Japan, in which Kameda decked the champion in the second round and added two more knockdowns in the fifth stanza for a TKO win.

Kameda’s professional record was 27 wins, including 21 KOs, against four losses.
He was stricken with the cancer several years ago and had had a long fight with the cancer.