Japan's Kameda gives up IBF title

Japanese boxer Daiki Kameda said Wednesday he was giving up the International Boxing Federation super-flyweight title which he had retained despite controversy. "I intend to give up the IBF (champion) belt," the 25-year-old fighter told reporters at Tokyo's Narita airport before leaving for a two-month training camp in the US state of Florida. "There are many strong boxers in Miami. I want to engage in boxing from scratch again." Kameda lost to Venezuela's Liborio Solis on a split decision in Osaka on December 3, in what would have been a unification title bout. Solis was stripped of his World Boxing Association super-flyweight title the day before for being overweight. An IBF official incorrectly announced on the eve of the fight that Kameda's title would have been left vacant if he lost to Solis. But an IBF rule says a champion retains his crown regardless of the result of a title bout if his opponent fails to make the weight. Kameda accordingly kept his belt in the storm of confusion. "The reason I lost is that I was weak. I must admit this," said Kameda, whose older and younger brothers Koki and Tomoki are reigning and former world boxing champions. "I want to become a much stronger boxer. I must apologise to my fans and to the public for causing a big commotion."