By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

The Tokyo high court on Thursday ruled in favor of the plaintiff Kameda brothers (Koki, Daiki and Tomoki) against the defendant Japan Boxing Commission (JBC). The court ordered the JBC to pay the compensation 100,100,000 Japanese yen ($870,435 USD) for their damages caused by the JBC’s punishment in 2014. It was the second trial as both parties appealed against the first trial’s verdict for a compensation 45,000,000 yen ($391,304 USD) to be paid by the JBC. It shockingly became more than a double since the court admitted Kameda brothers’ damages for more than a couple of bouts, not each one fight in 2014.

Their disputes happened after the then IBF 115-pound champ Daiki Kameda lost to WBA ruler Liborio Solis (whose belt had been stripped due to his failure to make weight) by a split decision on December 3, 2013. Prior to the unification bout-to-be (eventually with only Daiki’s IBF belt on the line) it was admitted after the rules meeting by the IBF (supervisor Lindsey Tucker), Kameda party and the JBC that should Daiki lose, he would forfeit his IBF belt even though Solis was overweight. After Daiki was declared a loser, however, the IBF and Kameda family spontaneously opened a post-fight press conference without the JBC’s knowledge and declared that Daiki would retain the IBF belt and remain champion. The JBC became furious against the denial to the prefight understanding, which deteriorated the JBC’s reputation as a ruling body.

In the following year, the JBC suspended Kameda gym’s club owner Shinji Yoshii and manager Satoshi Shima, which eventually prevented Kameda brothers from being active professionally in Japan. Kameda gym attempted to have another person its new club owner to resume promotions featuring Kameda brothers, but all moves were dismissed by the JBC.

The litigation is a living thing. There may be a possibility that the JBC may again appeal against this verdict to a higher court and it will be discussed again. But we need the commission that should regulate and supervise our boxing activities. We whole-heartedly wish the JBC to overcome and survive the bitter-tasted litigation to function soundly. We go with the JBC.