Kazuto Ioka is honored to extend a tradition that dates back to his first year as a major titlist more than a decade ago.
The former four-division beltholder now sees his latest New Year’s Eve headliner as means to once again etch his name in the annals of Japanese boxing history.
Ioka, 31-4-1 (16 KOs), will make his bantamweight debut versus Venezuela's Maikel Ordosgoitti, 15-1 (14 KOs). Their scheduled 12-round, WBA bantamweight title eliminator tops a December 31 show from Ota-City General Gymnasium.
It will mark Ioka’s 10th appearance at the venue in his past 11 starts and also his sixth New Year’s Eve main event at the locale over the past seven years. This one comes with far greater purpose after suffering a pair of defeats to then-unbeaten Fernando “Puma” Martinez to end his WBA 115lbs title reign.
“After my last fight, I decided to move up to bantamweight and challenge for my fifth weight division,” Ioka told BoxingScene. “I feel that I can show a stronger version of myself in this new class.
“In my bantamweight debut, I want to deliver a performance that convinces everyone I can become a champion in this division as well.”
His first fight at a new weight begins with an old routine.
Ioka was more than competitive in the rematch with Martinez in May, which was postponed by more than four months. The two were due to run it back last New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, only for Martinez to withdraw just hours before the official pre-fight weigh-in.
The development left Ioka without a fight and his first empty New Year’s Eve date since 2017 – when he briefly retired before returning to the ring the following year.
Ioka eventually secured his rematch with Martinez this past May 11 but suffered a questionable, unanimous decision defeat. It turned out to be his final fight at 115lbs.
He now sets his sights on a bantamweight division in desperate need of a definitive leader.
Junto Nakatani, 32-0 (24 KOs), previously ruled the roost but is now campaigning at 122lbs. His time at bantamweight helped fill the void left behind by Naoya Inoue – fittingly, Nakatani’s next stated target for the undisputed championship next spring in Tokyo.
All of the 118lbs titles are once again spoken for, though the top spot is wide open.
“I’m not sure if I’ll immediately become the “main figure” of the division, but I’m confident that I can become a champion,” vowed Ioka.
Mexico and Japan both have two beltholders in the division. Jose Salas, 17-0 (11 KOs), and Christian Medina, 26-4 (19 KOs), hold the IBF and WBO belts, respectively.
Seiya Tsutsumi, 13-0-1 (8 KOs), barely got past former four-division champ Nonito Donaire on December 17. He was forced to undergo surgery for a busted nose that could jeopardize his WBA reign if he can’t honor his mandatory with Antonio Vargas.
That situation is worth monitoring by Team Ioka, given the stakes of this bout.
Takuma Inoue, 21-2 (5 KOs), holds the WBC belt, and was also a rumored option for Ioka next spring with a win this week. Wednesday’s show will air live on Lemino, which also houses the Inoue brothers. The move to the platform came after years of Ioka working with ABEMA-TV.
Regardless of whether Inoue or a shot at a WBA title – “Super” or “interim” – Ioka understands the importance of not just winning on Wednesday, but sending a message to the rest of the bantamweight division.
“If I can achieve my fifth divisional world title, I believe it will prove the importance of challenging yourself, and that accomplishments come from taking on those challenges,” said Ioka.
