By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat
On Christmas eve, WBA super-flyweight champ Joshua Franco arrived in Tokyo, Japan, to participate in a unification bout with WBO ruler Kazuto Ioka, Japan, here in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve.
Accompanied by his brother and ex-WBC titlist Jesse Rodriguez, Franco confidently said, “I have been strenuously training to fight in Ioka’s home turf. I haven’t fought such a skillful puncher as Ioka, so I expect a toe-to-toe fight. I’m 100% confident of my victory and unification of the two belts.”
Excellent matchup where the skilled Ioka might emerge victorious by decision, because I don’t see a KO ending, not an easy fight for both men though.
I got Ioka too by decision Burucho. Close fight though, 8-4, 7-5ish.
On point. Iola to win close.
It’s an uphill climb for Franco, he needs a knockout or a clear beat down to win on a opponents turf.