Comments Thread For: Cuello To Fight For Vacant WBC Title With Ioka Vacating

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Less than 10 days after making history, unified 105 lb. titlist Kazuto Ioka took the first step towards what is believed to be an inevitable exit from the division altogether.

Faced the ultimatum of choosing between the belts he unified in his 12-round instant classic against Akira Yaegashi last month, Ioka (10-0, 6KO) decided to ditch the one he carried into the fight.

Ioka marched to unification quicker than any fighter in boxing history, securing a second belt at strawweight in just his 10th pro bout. The means in which he collected both titles were hardly cherry-pickers, scoring an upset stoppage win over Oleydong Sithsamerchai last February and then outlasting Akira Yaegashi in a potential Fight of the Year candidate this past June. [Click Here To Read More]

[nycsmooth]

bad move, IMO, as WBC is based best in Japan & w/their support or did the champ have cold feet vs Cuello?? Would have been great bout...

[koji mizuhara]

Ioka won't fight at 105 any more.
Sooner or later, he's gonna vacant WBA title as well.
What if Ioka challenges Chocolatito?
I will be crazy.

[JK1700]

This is a suprise to me, I expected him to keep the WBC belt and face Cuello. It's a shame he had to give up one of the belts, these sanctioning bodies are so petty it's unbelievable. So why keep the WBA belt? I really don't know. I think the top contender for the WBA is Pigmy Kokietgym. Paipharob was the interim champ but I believe they have stripped him due to legal problems that will prevent him from getting in the ring anytime soon. We'll just have to wait and see but I think Ioka should just move up now. He didn't look as strong and durable to me as in previous defences and had Yaegashi just had better defence and therefore avoided his eye trouble and thrown more punches, he may well have beaten Kazuto.

[koji mizuhara]

But it's just your opinion Koji, or that's what Ioka and his people says?

Yes. He and his father, who promotes him, say it repeatedly on national television. I'm not 100% sure he's gonna move up at next fight, but at least Ioka himself hopes so. Maybe tune up fight will come? I don't know.

[Epie2]

Vacating the WBC belt was to avoid losing the title to Cuello. Cuello can just fight for it and then move up to 108-lb division as well.

[wengz2002]

It's sad!

Ioka is avoiding Cuello like a plague!

Ioka-Cuello should have been a great fight!


I don't really understand the purpose of the unification if one fight didn't intend to keep the other belt!

[wengz2002]

It's sad!

Ioka is avoiding Cuello like a plague!

Ioka-Cuello should have been a great fight!


I don't really understand the purpose of the unification if one fight didn't intend to keep the other belt!

In my understanding, Ioka as a unified champion will become WBA "Super" Champion and somebody will become a Regular Champion... so he is entitle to defend the WBA Belt less frequent if he wants to....

Besides, Cuello is rated in WBA as well.... which means he is an eligible challenger!

[crold1]

If he's moving up, move up. The only fight really worth sticking around at 105 for is Joyi and that's not really makable. Cuello is barely worth rating in the top ten at 105 (a real one, not a sanc mob rating) so it's no loss to miss that right now.

[Bermuda]

cuello had just won a wbc title eliminator too and was calling out ioka..damn i wanted to see this fight. cuello has some serious power and speed..good fighter..could have gave ioka an interesting fight.