Ambunda and Kameda meet face to face today to clash for WBO bantamweight title on Thursday at Waterfront

CEBU, Philippines - Expect verbal fireworks when defending WBO bantamweight champion Paulos ‘The Rock’ Ambunda of Namibia and his Japanese challenger Tomoki ‘El Mexicanito’ Kameda will meet face-to-face for the first time this morning at the Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel for the final press conference of their keenly-waired world title bout.

Ambunda will make the first defense of his WBO 118-pound crown against Kameda in the main event of the  ‘Battle of the Undefeated’ fightcard this Thursday night at the posh hotel.

But even before they could meet eye to eye, there's already a brewing animosity between the two protagonists sparked by their desire to score a knockout victory.

“Yes, he (Kameda) is right about his prediction that the fight will not go the distance," said Ambunda.  "But it’s me who will score the knockout and I can finish him any round I want.”

Ambunda made such brazen remarks upon learning that Kameda said their scheduled 12-round bout will not go to its full route.

“It’s going to be a war. I am going to knock him out and I am pretty sure that the fight will not last the  distance,” Kameda earlier said.

Even though they don't have any Filipino lineage much more a big following among Pinoy boxing fans, the Ambunda-Kameda duel still has the makings of a blockbuster showdown.

Both are exciting and skillful fighters who have never been beaten in their respective careers. Ambunda sports an unblemished 20-0 record spiked with a 50 percent knockout rate, while Kameda parades a clean 27-0 slate packed with 18KOs.

Ambunda strapped the WBO belt around his waist after beating former Thai champ Pungluang Sor Singyo by unanimous decision last March 2 at the Windhoek Country Club Resort in Windhoek, Namibia.

That may hardly matter for Tomoki but it does ring a bell for Cebu sports world because Ambunda tamed Sor Singyo, who is best remembered by Pinoy fans for extinguishing the world title hopes of ALA Gym stalwart AJ ‘Bazooka’ Banal on October 20 last year at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.

But Ambunda is surely in for a difficult battle as Kameda also brings with him a shining credential.

Kameda is nicknamed 'El Mexicanito" as he has fought and mauled a total of 15 Mexican boxers since he debuted with a second round stoppage of Alejandro Moreno on November 21, 2008 at the Salon Marbet Plus in Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl. He also collected his five regional titles under the WBC by crushing Mexican rivals, the last was a 10th round technical decision over Jairo Hernandez to snatch the WBC Silver bantamweight title on April 26 last year.

That made Tomoki as the most famous among the three fighting Kameda brothers of Japan. His elder brother Koki is the current WBA bantamweight titlist, while Daiki is set to fight for the IBF super flyweight title against Rodrigo Guerrero on September 3 at the Sun Messe Kagawa in Japan.

Given the impressive track records of Ambunda and Tomoki Kameda, it's a surefire entertaining night of fistic battle come the big day.

Tickets can now be bought at the Waterfront Hotel lobby at the following prices; P2500 for the VIP seats, P800 for the gold seats, P500 for ballroom area and P200 for balcony. – with LPM (FREEMAN)