WBC No.1 ranked super bantamweight contender Alan David Picasso (Mexico, 31–0–1, 17 KOs) is set to fight on the undercard of the Pacquiao vs. Barrios event, scheduled for July 19 (July 20 Japan time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. His opponent will be former world featherweight contender Kyosuke Kameda (TMK, 15–4–2, 9 KOs).
Picasso is promoted by Sanfer Promotions, which has entered a co-promotional agreement with Premier Boxing Champions for three world championship bouts. This upcoming fight will be the first of those joint events.
On December 14, 2023 (December 15 JST), Picasso delivered a dominant performance in Tijuana, Mexico, scoring a third-round knockout with a single left body shot against Yeison Cuero (Colombia, 13–3–1, 11 KOs).
When the undisputed world super bantamweight title bout between Naoya Inoue (Ohashi Gym, 30–0, 27 KOs) and Sam Goodman (Australia, 20–0, 8 KOs) — originally scheduled for December 24 — was postponed by one month due to Goodman’s injury, Picasso stepped forward as a potential replacement fighter.
Alan David Picasso was originally mentioned as a potential opponent for Naoya Inoue’s title defense in Las Vegas this past May. However, news later surfaced that Picasso’s father had withdrawn him from the bout, reportedly believing that Picasso had no chance of winning.
Although Picasso himself publicly declared, “Who said I wasn’t ready? I’m prepared to fight,” the matchup with Inoue was ultimately canceled.
Hideyuki Ohashi, head of Ohashi Gym, expressed his frustration:
“He ran away. First they said they’d take the fight, then backed out, then changed their minds again and accepted it — and then backed out once more. I just can’t believe it anymore. There were growing voices in Mexico saying he’d be knocked out by Inoue in one or two rounds, and apparently his father got scared.
This was a chance to face the strongest monster in boxing — and with a hefty fight purse too. As a professional boxer, opportunities like this don’t come often. Any normal fighter would jump at it. It’s beyond comprehension.”
Despite being an active fighter with frequent bouts, Picasso went silent after pulling out of the Inoue fight. His upcoming bout against Kameda will mark his first appearance of the year.
As for Kyosuke Kameda, he last fought on February 22 (February 23 Japan time) in Tijuana, Mexico, in the main event of a Sanfer Promotions card, where he faced former two-division world champion Luis Nery (Mexico, 36–2, 28 KOs).
n the opening round, Kameda landed a sharp right-hand counter that nearly resulted in a knockdown, creating a dramatic moment early on. However, he gradually wore down under Nery’s relentless pressure. After suffering cuts above both eyes from accidental head clashes, Kameda was knocked down twice in the seventh round and ultimately lost the bout. Still, his counter right hand was a highlight of the fight.
Though overpowered by Nery’s superior strength, Kameda has now earned another opportunity to face one of the world’s top contenders. All eyes will be on him as he steps onto the big stage once again.
The upcoming fight between Picasso, who withdrew from a bout with Naoya Inoue, and Kyosuke Kameda, who faced the notorious Luis Nery, is intriguing in its own way for very different reasons.
Related Article：https://japansports-boxingmaster.com/bad-boy-showdown-luis-nery-vs-kyosuke-kameda-result124-pound-catchweight-10-round-bout-in-tijuana-mexico/
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