Lerato Dlamini promises to return and hopes for trilogy with Tomoki Kameda

The South African featherweight Lerato Dlamini has promised to return after his split-decision loss to Tomoki Kameda.

Dlamini defeated Kameda in October, but the Japanese fighter dropped his rival in round five on Saturday to level their series at one fight apiece.

The 30-year-old Dlamini is now 20-3 (11 KOs) having lost by scores of 114-113, 116-111, and 113-114 from the judge Bob Williams – to the dismay of many.

Dlamini took to social media to offer Kameda a third fight, and to reassure his fans he was okay following the defeat at the Yamatoa Arena in Suita.

Sporting a cut over his right eye, he said: “Just want to let you guys know, I didn’t get the victory. I lost a fight via split decision. It was a good fight, man. I got knocked down in the fifth round; I got hit in the temple and I recovered. I don’t know how I recovered, but then I fought back. It was a fight of two halves. The judges had him winning the first [half of the] fight and the judges had me winning the second half of the fight, so the knockdown is the only difference.

“It was a good fight. I put in a good fight even though I didn’t get the victory, but I’m proud. I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of how I fought. It’s not easy coming into a guy’s backyard, and fighting him.”

Both bouts between the pair finished in a split decision. Kameda is now 42-4 (23 KOs), and Dlamini would like the chance to inflict defeat number five on the fighter from Osaka.

“And to get knocked down for the first time in my career, it felt like I was dreaming,” Dlamini added. “I got back up and I fought my ass off. It was a hell of a fight, a hell of a performance and I told Kameda, ‘Yo, we should have a third fight’ and he said, ‘Nah’. He might retire after fighting for a world title, but if he wins, maybe we can have a trilogy. I beat him last year; he beat me this year, so we have to make it happen for a third time. 

“It was a good performance. It was a good fight… I’ll be back. It’s not the end of the road. My manager [Colin Nathan] already has a plan for me.”