It doesn't get much better than two decorated world champions going at it in a unification fight, and that's exactly what will be served up when Kazuto Ioka defends his WBA super flyweight title against IBF counterpart Fernando Martinez in Tokyo on July 7.
Ioka (31-2-1, 16 KOs) is a seven-time world titleholder in four different divisions and a certified boxing legend in Japan. The 35-year-old veteran shows no signs of slowing down and is coming off a seventh-round demolition of Josber Perez in December.
"I'm happy to have a unification fight," Ioka told The Ring . "I think it's a challenge to go further, and fighting an IBF champion is a big challenge. I've never won an IBF title before, so I want to win it!"
Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs) is a powerful offensive force with two wins over Filipino star Jerwin Ancajas. Three years younger than Ioka at 32, he’s unquestionably the fresher fighter, but does he have the intelligence and ring craft to upset the Japanese hero?
"I want to make history," said Martinez in an interview with The Ring . "I believe Argentina deserves to have a unified champion, and we're more focused and readier than ever. I have the right age and the right experience. I am only gearing up for the fight and feeling excited about it."
The Sporting News will provide live coverage, updates, undercard results and round-by-round scoring for the main event in Tokyo.
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Kazuto Ioka vs. Fernando Martinez live updates and commentary
THE WINNER IS KANTARO JURI VIA EIGHT-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION. THIS WAS A LEARNING CURVE FIGHT FOR THE 28-YEAR-OLD LEFTY WHO WAS DECKED BY A HUGE LEFT HAND IN ROUND FOUR. HE IMPROVES TO 7-0-1 (2 KOs).
7:08 p.m. JST/ 6:08a.m. ET: It's all over and we go the full eight-round distance. Strong closing round from Juri, who landed an array of power shots and forced Parlop backward for the full three minutes.
7:04 p.m. JST/ 6:04 a.m. ET: Despite the significant scare, Juri has regained control and should be ahead entering the eighth and final round. Parlop knows he can hurt his man and needs the KO now!
6:52 p.m. JST/ 5:48 a.m. ET: WOW!!! DOWN GOES JURI IN ROUND 4 FROM A HUGE LEFT TO THE CHIN. He's badly hurt but survives the round. This could be a turning point. The knockdown from Parlop was CONCUSSIVE!
6:48 p.m. JST/ 5:48 a.m. ET: Juri is controlling the action but has been cut around the left eye following a clash of heads in the third.
6:41 p.m. JST/ 5:41 a.m. ET: Great opening round for Juri, who went through the gears and scored with one memorable left uppercut to the chin. Parlop, 41, backed up and showed his experience by avoiding some big assaults.
6:33 p.m. JST/ 5:33 a.m. ET: Fight number five is a super flyweight bout between local prospect Kantaro Juri and veteran Thai fighter Pai Parlop.
THE WINNER BY EIGHT-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION IS YUDAI MURAKAMI, WHO IMPROVES TO 5-2. ICHIMICHI DROPS TO 8-2-1.
6:24 p.m. JST/ 5:24 a.m. ET: We're in the eighth and final round and Murakami has won most of these rounds. With that said, the 39-year-old Ichimichi has put forth a spirited effort.
6:14 p.m. JST/ 5:14 a.m. ET: A BIG RIGHT HAND LANDS FLUSH FROM ICHIMICHI IN ROUND FIVE. Murakami takes it well, but he wouldn't want to take too many of those.
6:10 p.m. JST/ 5:10 a.m. ET: We're four rounds in and Murakami has everything his own way. He's controlling distance, choosing the correct times to punch, and then quickly pivoting out of range. All four rounds have gone to the younger man.
5:59 p.m. JST/ 4:59 a.m. ET: Nice opening round from Murakami, who scored well with the left hand to head and body. Ichimichi, 39, is a step behind in terms of speed and doing a lot of catching already.
5:39 p.m. JST/ 4:39 a.m. ET: The fourth bout on the card is an all-Japanese lightweight duel between southpaw Yudai Murakami and Hiroshi Ichimichi.
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT STAR SHUN SEKINE IMPROVES TO 11-1-1 (9 KOs) WITH A THIRD-ROUND TKO OF CHAIYARAT SAWANSODA. EASY WORK!
5:31 p.m. JST/ 4:31 a.m. ET: DOWN GOES SAWANSODA FROM A BARRAGE OF BLOWS EARLY IN ROUND THREE. He's up, but another quick two-piece combination from Sekine puts the Thai fighter down again and the bout is waved off.
5:28 p.m. JST/ 4:28 a.m. ET: Sawansoda under heavy pressure in round two and hurt numerous times to the body. This looks like a workout for the 10-1-1 Sekine, who is in against a journeyman here.
5:19 p.m. JST/ 4:19 a.m. ET: We switch to the super lightweight division. Local fighter Shun
Sekine takes on Thailand's Chaiyarat Sawansoda.
5:16 p.m. JST/ 4:16a.m. ET: WBA super flyweight champ Kazuto Ioka enters the arena and looks all business ahead of his unification battle with IBF titleholder Fernando Martinez.
AOI YOKOHAMA WINS HIS PROFESSIONAL DEBUT IN SPECTACULAR STYLE, HALTING CHINA'S HAO WANG EARLY IN ROUND TWO.
5:09 p.m. JST/ 4:09 a.m. ET: IT'S ALL OVER IN ROUND TWO. Yokohama closes the show with a spectacular string of left hands to the head. This kid is one to watch!
5:08 p.m. JST/ 4:08 a.m. ET: Terrific first professional round for Yokohama, who looks like a terrific little fighter. The 22-year-old landed several solid power shots before decking Wang with a right hand late in the first.
4:53 p.m. JST/ 3:53 a.m. ET: Next up is a bantamweight bout between pro debutant Hao Wang and China's Aoi Yokoyama.
4:49 p.m. JST/ 3:49 a.m. ET: The IBF super flyweight champ Fernando Martinez enters the arena and is all smiles. The undefeated Argentinian takes on WBA counterpart Kazuto Ioka in the main event.
TAIGO KATO IMPROVES TO 6-2 (2 KOs) WITH A UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER CHINA'S SHI DONG.
4:44 p.m. JST/ 3:44 a.m. ET: We enter the sixth and final round. Kato would appear to be comfortably ahead on points. The Japanese fighter has landed most of the effective punches and has hurt Dong to the body more than once.
4:25 p.m. JST/ 3:25 a.m. ET: The first fight is underway and it's a welterweight contest between local fighter Taiga Kato and China's Shi Dong.
2:45 p.m. JST/ 1:45 a.m. ET : Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the Kazuto Ioka vs. Fernando Martinez super flyweight unification fight. We're in the countdown to the showdown!!!
Kazuto Ioka vs. Fernando Martinez undercard
- Kazuto Ioka vs. Fernando Martinez for the IBF/ WBA Super Flyweight world titles
- Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Weerawat Noolae; Super Bantamweight
- Shun Sekine def. Chaiyarat Sawansoda via TKO 3; Super Lightweight
- Yudai Murakami def. Hiro Ichimichi via UD 8; Lightweight
- Taiga Kato def. Shi Dong via UD 6; Welterweight
- Kantaro Juri def. Phai Pharob via UD 8; Super Flyweight
- Aoi Yokoyama def. Hao Wang via TKO 2; Bantamweight
- Hibiki Kawai vs. Ruka Shinkawa; Lightweight
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