Ioka's left hook to the body got the mark several times. (Photo by Naoki Fukuda)
Fernando 'Puma' Martinez and Kazuto Ioka are ready to take it back.
The rematch of one of the best fights of the year is now in full swing, as confirmed by Martinez's team. The defending WBA/IBF junior bantamweight title will once again be in the spotlight as their fight will take place on December 31 in Tokyo, Japan.
Argentina's Martinez scored a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Ioka in their grueling July 7 unification bout at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. The final scores—116-112, 117-111 and the dreaded 120-108 card (Edward Hernandez Sr.)—didn't at all reflect the nonstop action taking place.
However, Martinez (17-0, 9 knockouts) retained the IBF 115-pound title and won the WBA belt. He also moved up to No. 1 in the Ring's junior bantamweight rankings.
Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs) is currently No. 3 at 115, while Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) is The Ring and WBC champion.
News of the rematch was confirmed by Martinez and Chino Promotions – owned and founded by Marcos Maidana – during the ESPN Knockout broadcast on Friday in Buenos Aires.
The date continues the end-of-the-year tradition of Ioka, who is always in the news with a New Year's card. The four-division list first appeared on the day in 2011, when he was undefeated in the strawweight division.
Ioka will now go for his thirteenth title during the holiday break. All but one came in Japan, and this streak marks his sixth year-end appearance in Tokyo. Ioka is 10-1-1 (7 KOs) in Dec fights. 31. They all came with a big title at stake.
His loss to Martinez snapped a nine-fight unbeaten streak dating back to his New Year's Eve 2018 loss to Donnie Nietes in Macau, China. That loss prevented his bid to be ranked first in four divisions in Japan, which he won one fight later. Ioka knocked out Aston Palicte in the tenth round of their June 2019 WBO 115-pound title fight. He later lifted the WBA title from Joshua Franco in their June 2023 rematch.
Ioka has won titles at 105, 108, 112 and 115. His father, Kazunori Ioka was a professional boxer, and his uncle Hiroki, who was a two-division fighter.
In his fighting family, Kazuto is the most established. The 35-year-old Osaka-born, Tokyo-based boxer aims to add to his impressive legacy.
That said, Martinez still has a lot of goals to achieve.
The unbeaten Argentinian made his first trip to Japan when he beat Ioka. He has previously fought at home, in Dubai and in the US, with the latter holding his last three fights.
It all came from title fights, including his victory over Jerwin Ancajas to win and defend the IBF 115-pound belt. He added an eleventh round knockout to unbeaten Jade Bornea last June before his best win over Ioka.
Martinez-Ioka I was months in the making. Martinez has been in talks with both Ioka and Ring/lineal/WBC champion Juan Francisco Estrada (44-4, 28KOs).
Ioka came up short in his second campaign for a two-division combined roster at the time. He was already the first boxer in Japan to win belts in four divisions but was denied another record on Dec. 2022 with a twelve round draw against Joshua Franco. Victory would see Ioka unify the WBA and WBO belts, ten years after his WBA/WBC strawweight title reign.
The suspension had additional consequences. Ioka was scheduled to face international Junto Nakatani, but chose to vacate the WBO belt to pursue a rematch with Franco. He defeated the player from San Antonio last June in Tokyo to win the WBA belt.
Franco is Rodriguez's older brother, The Ring's No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter. There was talk of Rodriguez facing Martinez-Ioka who won at the time, as he was eyeing the fight.
Rodriguez will enter the back-to-back singles, as Mexico's Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs), No. 2 at 115, using the repetition clause.
Fittingly, Rodriguez-Estrada and Martinez-Ioka happened just eight days apart. Their back-to-back streaks at the end of this year make the Final Four as tight as you could ask for in sports today.
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