“I Actually Hated Boxing”: Koki Kameda Finally Opens Up About the Kameda Family

“The real me is actually shy”

“I’ve hated boxing ever since I was a kid. Every morning when I woke up and went running, I’d think, ‘Why do only me and my brothers have to go through this?’ But for the Kameda family, boxing was an obligation. Even when I was criticized by the public for playing the villain, I felt nothing. Because that was my job.”

In an office building in Minato, Tokyo, the former three-division world champion looked back on memories of his family. Koki Kameda, 39. Now, 11 years after his retirement, his current titles are boxing promoter and businessman.

At the end of May, Koki bowed his head in front of the press. The apology stemmed from the cancellation of the May Kyrgyzstan event of “SAIKOULUSH,” for which he served as promoter. The finances of co-organizer “LUSH” deteriorated, leading the company to terminate its business partnership with Kameda. There was also speculation that Koki could face an indefinite suspension of his promoter’s license. However, with financial support from “CyberAgent,” the following month’s event in Aichi went ahead. He described it as the biggest crisis of my life.

But about two months later, on this day, the familiar “Kameda style” was completely back.

“Ever since I was younger, I had to play the ‘Koki Kameda’ character that the media wanted from me. It’s hard to become famous by just being a good kid. My dad always used to say, ‘If you become a hated villain, people will know you faster.’ But the real me is actually shy, and I’m not good at speaking in front of people either. There were times when I couldn’t sleep because I was agonizing over what to say and how to perform at press conferences.

My active career ended in the blink of an eye, so I can barely remember what it was like being a professional boxer. Now that I’m in my current position, I’ve finally come to understand the sense of crisis my dad had about the boxing world.”

His father, Shiro (61), drilled the fundamentals of boxing into him from an early age, and his younger brothers, Daiki (37) and Tomoki (35), also became world champions. However, partly because of the public impression left by incidents such as Daiki’s fight against Daisuke Naito (51), in which he was criticized for repeated fouls, the three brothers did not receive the level of recognition their achievements might have warranted.

In 2014, the “Kameda Gym,” to which the three brothers belonged, was suspended. That same year, a Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) employee filed a lawsuit seeking damages from four people connected to Kameda Gym, alleging that they had been subjected to assault, intimidation, and other misconduct. Kameda Gym ultimately won the case, but sponsors and television networks withdrew. The three brothers were effectively unable to fight in Japan, and Koki himself was forced to retire at the age of 28.

“In my final fight in Chicago, where I was going for a fourth world title, I finally came to love boxing. I even enjoyed making weight. I lost the fight, but I was able to move on right away. I don’t want to see any more boxers become victims like we were. I guess that’s what drives me now.”

The August 28 issue of “FRIDAY,” the combined September 11–18 issue, as well as the paid edition “FRIDAY GOLD,” features Koki Kameda discussing the struggles he has faced as a promoter and his outlook for the future.

For more details and multiple photos, click here ↓↓

From the September 11 & 18, 2026, combined issue of “FRIDAY”