TOKYO, Japan – The proposition of becoming a beltholder in five weight classes is all the motivation Kazuto Ioka needs ahead of his WBC bantamweight clash with Takuma Inoue on Saturday at the Tokyo Dome.
The former four-division beltholder, now 37 years old, is up against it in his fight with the younger brother of Naoya Inoue, who tops the bill in a mouthwatering all-Japanese clash with Junto Nakatani. In fact, the sheer size of the main event has perhaps overshadowed just how impressive a bout the one between Ioka and Inoue really is.
Ioka, 32-4-1 (17 KOs), lost his IBF junior bantamweight title when he suffered back-to-back defeats to Fernando Martinez in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Ioka bounced back with a win over Maikel Ordosgoitti in December following a move up to 118lbs and secured himself a shot at Inoue’s WBC strap.
Meanwhile, Inoue, 21-2 (5 KOs), is coming off a standout win over Tenshin Nasukawa in November and will be looking to add the name of Ioka to his growing resume.
Ioka, however, is not in search of names. He is merely concentrating on adding more silverware to his trophy cabinet.
"This holds immense significance,” Ioka said of Saturday’s bout. “This stage, this challenge of winning titles in five weight classes… I've come this far with a strong determination to achieve it.
"I feel fortunate every day to have the opportunity to compete on this stage. I want to do everything I can to prepare myself until I step into the ring. I will definitely seize this chance, win, and show everyone that I can become a five-division champion.
"I want to prove the greatness of boxing, the spirit of the Japanese people, and the greatness of hard work."
