Kazuto Ioka’s unanimous decision win over overweight Joshua Franco to reclaim the 115-pound title on Saturday wasn’t enough to take him from the Honors into the Top 15 here.
However, it emphasizes the enduring power of Japanese fighters.
Ioka won his first world title as a 108-pound athlete in 2011 and has worn one belt or another almost continuously since, making him one of the most consistent boxers in the world. most determined in the world.
Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs) is unbeaten (6-0-1) since he lost to Donnie Nietes in a decisive match in 2018, a defeat he avenged last year.
And, even at 35, there’s more to come. Victory over Franco, who has already exceeded the limit by more than 6 pounds, creates potential fights with fellow titleholders Juan Francisco Estrada, Fernando Martinez and Junto Nakatani or a number of other big-name bantamweights.
The resident of Tokyo may be a loser to some of the top 115-pounders but don’t be surprised if he ends up raising his hand. If he is anything, he is a winner.
And that could mean he’ll be in the Top 15 at an age where many boxers have finished.
Next 2-pound-for-pounder: No. 2 Naoya Inoue will challenge 122-pound owner and Honoree Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Japan.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
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POUND-FOR-POUND
- Terence Crawford – Scheduled to face No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. to win the undisputed 147-pound championship on July 29.
- Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound owner and Honoree Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Tokyo.
- Oleksandr Usyk – Was supposed to defend his three heavyweight belts against Daniel Dubois on August 26 but no announcement has been made.
- Errol Spence Jr. – Scheduled to face No. 1 Terence Crawford for the undisputed 147-pound championship on July 29.
- Dmitri Bivol – No scheduled wars.
- Tyson’s Rage – No scheduled wars.
- Juan Francisco Estrada – No scheduled wars.
- Canelo Alvarez– Reportedly in talks to defend his undisputed 168-pound title against 160-pound belt holder Jermall Charlo on September 16 but no agreement was reached.
- Jermell Charlo – No scheduled wars.
- Gervonta Davis – No scheduled wars.
- Vasiliy Lomachenko – No scheduled wars.
- Artur Betterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Callum Smith on August 19.
- Shakur Stevenson – No scheduled wars.
- Roman Gonzalez – There are no scheduled wars.
- Devin Haney – No scheduled wars.
honorable mention (alphabetically): David Benavidez (believed to be in talks to face David Morrell in October but no deal has been done); Jermall Charlo (supposedly in talks to challenge 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez on September 16, but no agreement has been reached); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend her 122-pound title against Naoya Inoue No. 2 on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (no battle schedule); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound belt unification in December).
