Exciting Clash of Super Flyweight Champions Announced: IBF Titleholder Fernando Martinez to Face WBA King Kazuto Ioka in Tokyo on July 7
In a highly anticipated showdown, IBF super flyweight champion Fernando Martinez will take on WBA titleholder Kazuto Ioka on July 7 in Tokyo, Japan. The two champions met for a press conference this morning at the Ryogoku Kokugikan to formally announce the fight.
The 35-year-old Ioka, a four-division world champion with a record of 31-2-1 (16 KOs), will be making the second defense of his WBA super flyweight title. Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Argentine Martinez, who turned professional in 2017, will be making the third defense of his IBF crown. Martinez boasts an unblemished record of 16-0 (9 KOs), and is coming off an impressive 11th-round stoppage of Jade Bornea last June in Minneapolis.
“This bout comes just a week after another highly anticipated super flyweight championship clash, as Juan Francisco Estrada defends his WBC title against the rising star Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez on June 29 in Phoenix, Arizona.”
Ioka, who turned professional in 2009, has claimed world titles at strawweight, junior flyweight, flyweight, and junior bantamweight. He fought to a draw with Joshua Franco at the end of 2022 in an attempt to unify the junior bantamweight division, but won the rematch six months later after Franco failed to make weight. In his most recent outing, Ioka scored a seventh-round knockout victory over Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve.
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