Kazuto Ioka vs Fernando Martinez July 7th in Tokyo

Japan continues to thrive as a hotspot for super fights in lower weight classes. The highly anticipated WBA/IBF super flyweight unification between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez has been officially confirmed. Organizers convened a press conference to declare that the two champions will clash on July 7th at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan.

As for broadcast details, there's been no mention of a stateside airing. ABEMA's prior collaborations with DAZN, particularly during their Matchroom partnership, suggest a potential link-up with PBC, possibly landing the event on Amazon Prime.

Despite boasting a four-division champion status, the 35-year-old Ioka (31-2-1, 16 KO) hasn't unified belts since his 2012 victory over Akira Yaegashi for the WBA and WBC minimumweight titles. His last attempt ended in a draw against Joshua Franco in 2022, with a subsequent win in their rematch six months later, albeit having to relinquish his WBO belt prior to avoid a mandatory defense against Junto Nakatani.

Martinez, present at the announcement, boldly stated, “I admire Ioka's style as my opponent. I'll seize victory and bring both belts back to Argentina.” Meanwhile, Ioka remarked, “I must adapt to Martinez's style and engage in a battle to secure a knockout victory.” Expect a fiercely competitive showdown between these two champions.