Koki Kameda delays rematch due to “injury”

After fan outrage over his “win” of a WBA championship title, Koki Kameda was forced to arrange a rematch with Juan Landaeta. Today Kameda announced that he will have to delay the fight because of an injury:

WBA light flyweight champion Koki Kameda will postpone his first title-defending match slated for Oct. 18 due to injury, it was learned on Monday.

Kameda, 19, was to fight Juan Landaeta, who ranks 1st in the same weight class, in Tokyo.

Sources close to Kameda, who belongs to the Kyoei boxing gym, said that gym officials were discussing a new date for the title fight.

Kameda defeated Landaeta from Venezuela after a judges’ decision in the WBA light flyweight title match in Japan on Aug. 2.

Kameda and the gym announced on Aug. 31 that he would fight Landaeta again on Oct. 18.

After his brother’s fight on Sept. 27, Kameda promised that he would “definitely knock out (Landaeta) on Oct. 18.” (Mainichi)

Is Kameda really injured? Such a timely injury is not going to be good for Kameda’s already tarnished image: legions of anti-fans will likely label this as a pathetic attempt by Kameda to avoid putting his ill-gotten championship belt at risk in a fair fight.