By Joe Koizumi
Japan’s WBO 115-pound champion Kazuto Ioka (27-2, 15 KOs) has announced today (Thursday) to participate in a unification bout with IBF titleholder Jerwin Ancajas (33-1-2, 22 KOs), a Filipino southpaw sharpshooter, in Tokyo, Japan, on New Year’s Eve.
The four-division champ Ioka, making his fourth defense, said, “Ancajas is a very strong titlist. I’m happy to see this unification bout realized.”
At the press conference, a video letter from Ancajas was shown to the press, and the IBF champ, with nine successful defenses to his credit, said, “Ioka is humble, but his punching power is dangerous.”
Ioka, three years his senior at 32, said he would look forward to unifying the four belts in the near future. The sensational Ioka-Ancajas bout will take place at the Ota-city General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
This is an excellent fight. I’m picking Ioka, but I’m biased, I’m a fan. It could go either way by any result though, I feel.
Wow
Japanese Boxing at its best!
Japan vs Philippines
You will be surprised Ancajas will stop him in the middle rounds…
Truly great match up and a pick-em fight. Ancajas has loiked absolutely amazing at times but over the years he’s looked surprisingly flat on a couple of occasions.
Ioka is a true champion. He has always sought out the best fighters and toughest fights. His loss against Nietes was really questionable. He’s also fought a lot of current and former champions. Its odd how he only has 26 fights because it seems like he’s been around alot longer than that. But he never padded his record with meaningless fights. He’s always fought the best.