Fernando Martinez got here up big on the highway.
The unbeaten Argentinean used pure aggression to sway the judges in a unanimous resolution victory over Kazuto Ioka. Scores had been 116-112, 117-111 and a criminally poor 120-108 (Edward Hernandez Sr.) for Martinez.
With the win, Martinez retained the IBF 115-pound title and received the WBA belt Sunday on the famed Kokugikan Area in Tokyo.
Martinez compelled a livid tempo from the opening bell. The vitality carried in his vibrant, carnival-like ring entrance translated within the ring as he carried warmth on each punch thrown within the opening spherical. Ioka confirmed a world-class chin all through the competition. He weathered the storm each time and virtually all the time got here again along with his signature physique assault.
Ioka continued to focus on Martinez’s midsection, a supply of discomfort for the visiting Argentinean. The response was heavy proper fingers and uppercuts by Martinez, who repeatedly snapped again Ioka’s head however couldn’t break his will.
Martinez repeatedly fought in bursts for a lot of the primary half. Ioka constantly made key changes in the direction of the halfway level of every spherical. Nonetheless, the four-division titlist continued to wrestle to maintain Martinez at bay.
Ioka closed out the primary half with a vicious physique assault, whereas Martinez appeared to favor his left hand.
The momentum spilled over into the second half, as Martinez was visibly affected by Ioka’s left hook to the physique. Nonetheless, he remained upright and got here again sturdy with a two-fisted assault in spherical eight. The high-volume, mixture punching provided by Martinez precipitated suits for Ioka, who might solely climate the storm.
Endurance reaped main dividends for Ioka, who constantly landed clear combos in rounds 9 and ten. Martinez always made his presence felt however struggled to defend in opposition to Ioka’s left hook downstairs.
Ioka dictated the tempo within the latter phases. Martinez correctly created separation between the 2 as Ioka tried to stroll him down with combos. The technique had some degree of success as he was in a position to land proper fingers down the center. Ioka took the pictures nicely and responded with left hooks downstairs and proper fingers up high.
The all the time energetic Martinez saluted the group on the finish of the eleventh earlier than he sat on his nook stool. He then brazenly embraced Ioka at first of the twelfth and last spherical earlier than he proceeded to place in his best work of the combat.
A proper hand by Martinez snapped again the top of Ioka, who appeared stunned greater than the rest however didn’t instantly reply. Martinez discovered his groove and was in a position to land pictures as he always switched between typical and southpaw. Ioka responded with combos as he’d finished all through the competition however not with the identical influence as was the case in many of the second half rounds.
Martinez threw till the very finish, although he slipped to the canvas simply earlier than the bell to finish the combat.
