4-division world champion Kazuto Ioka has lengthy courted a unification at junior bantamweight. He thought he’d get it in opposition to then Ring champion and WBC titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada late final 12 months just for issues to crumble throughout negotiations.
Nonetheless, Ioka, rated at No. 2 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, and his group capable of dealer a cope with unbeaten IBF titlist Fernando Martinez, and the 2 will collide at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, on Sunday.
“I’m completely happy to have a unification battle,” Ioka (32-2-1, 16 knockouts) instructed The Ring via Yusuke Ninomiya. “I believe it’s a problem to go additional, and combating an IBF champion is a giant problem. I’ve by no means received an IBF title earlier than, so I wish to win it!”
He was unable to safe the aforementioned battle with Estrada, who ultimately determined to battle rising star Jesse Rodriguez final weekend, a outcome Ioka stored an eye fixed on.
“Because of the nature of the present, negotiations didn’t go nicely and it didn’t occur on the finish of final 12 months,” he mentioned although didn’t go into specifics however it’s believed that Estrada’s monetary calls for had been an excessive amount of of a hurdle.
“I wish to battle the winner of the Estrada vs. Jesse Rodriguez battle,” he mentioned.
As common, Ioka decamped to Las Vegas for 4 weeks to coach underneath the watchful eye of long-time coach Ismael Salas, the place he’s been sparring with former world title challenger Angelino Cordova (18-1-1, 12 KOs), who was chosen to imitate his fellow South American’s aggressive fashion.
The 35-year-old, who might be participating in his twenty sixth world title battle, stays as pushed as ever, having turned skilled 15-years in the past.
Since then, he’s gone on to win WBA and WBC titles at strawweight earlier than heading to junior flyweight and later flyweight the place he annexed WBA belts. At junior bantamweight he has received WBO and WBA titles, although he needed to vacate the WBA title to face Joshua Franco in a rematch after being initially being held to a draw as a substitute of dealing with his obligatory. Such was his want to face Joshua once more.
“I’ve come this far, however I’m not happy with the place I’m now, I wish to see how far I can go and show it,” he defined. “I wish to give braveness to the individuals watching. After all, I’ll battle for my household and the individuals who help me.”
This appears an attention-grabbing fashion matchup, the talents of Ioka versus the relentless aggression of Martinez. Nonetheless, I believe Ioka having residence benefit and being extra energetic ideas issues in his favor.
It ought to be famous that Martinez has had 5 of his final six fights exterior Argentina and prevailed, though come battle he time is not going to have fought in over a 12 months. In my prediction, Ioka makes use of his spectacular expertise and motion to continuously maintain Martinez altering course and wins a hard-fought however simply 12-round unanimous resolution.
Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs), rated at No. 3 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, was a standout newbie and represented his residence nation of Argentina all around the world. He appeared within the World Sequence of Boxing and the 2016 Olympics earlier than turning skilled in 2017.
“Pumita” received his first 9 fights, all in Argentina, earlier than venturing to South Africa to cease Athenkosi Dumezweni (TKO 11). The 32-year-old was largely unknown till he upset Jerwin Ancajas (UD 12) to win the IBF title and repeated the trick in his first protection. He adopted that with a late stoppage over one other Filipino Jade Bornea (TKO 11).
Questions and/or feedback could be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
