Franco: Boxing On New Year's Eve Big Tradition In Tokyo; Bigger Honor When I Leave As Unified Champ

The biggest fight in the career of Joshua Franco is preceded by the ultimate sacrifice.

The reigning WBA junior bantamweight titlist has traveled to Tokyo, where he will face four-division and reigning WBO 115-pound champ Kazuto Ioka in their unification bout on New Year’s Eve. Franco will enter the fight following a 16-month layoff, fighting outside the country for the first time in his pro career while training through the holidays.

“I’m looking forward to winning my first unification bout over there [in Tokyo],” Franco told BoxingScene.com. “I’ve never been to Japan before. I’m excited to go over there and fight on this big holiday. I know boxing on New Year’s Eve is a big tradition over there for  It’s an honor to be a part of It and will be a bigger honor when I leave as the unified champion.”

Ioka-Franco headlines an annual New Year's Eve show on TBS-Japan from Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo. U.S. televised rights have yet to be secured for the anticipated unification bout.

San Antonio’s Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs; 1NC) has not fought since a repeat win over Australia’s Andrew Moloney (25-2, 16KOs; 1NC) last August 16 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The win closed out their 14-month long trilogy, with Franco going 2-0 with one No-Contest including his secondary WBA title win over a then-unbeaten Moloney in June 2020.

His first fight outside of that rivalry was to come in a title consolidation clash with Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28KOs). Golden Boy Promotions won a purse bid hearing for the fight that was targeted for earlier this summer. Estrada declined to proceed with the fight, vacating his WBA ‘Super’ title which left Franco as the primary and only WBA 115-pound titlist and available to enter unification bouts.

It led to working out terms with Ioka (29-2, 15KOs), waiting out approval from the WBO during its annual convention in late October to proceed with what could become a career-defining fight.

By that point, Franco was honestly ready to face anyone in the ring. The upgrade was greatly appreciated, though the timing meant he would spend Thanksgiving and Christmas in training camp rather than at the family dinner table.

“Past Christmas holidays have always been with my family. Obviously, this year is different,” admitted Franco. “I’ll be in Tokyo getting ready for this big opportunity, but it’s a story we get to tell for future Christmases together.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox