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Kazuto Ioka sees ‘challenge to move on’ in clash with Fernando Martinez

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Four-division world champion Kazuto Ioka had long sought a junior bantamweight unification, thinking he could do it with a fight against then-Ring champion and WBC titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada behind schedule last year, but that all fell apart during negotiations.

However, Ioka, ranked No. 2 in the junior bantamweight division by The Ring, and his team were able to negotiate a deal with undefeated IBF world champion Fernando Martinez, the two of whom will face off Sunday at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

“I’m cheerful to have the unification fight,” Ioka (32-2-1, 16 knockouts) told The Ring via Yusuke Ninomiya. “I think it’s a challenge to move on, and fighting the IBF champion is a gigantic challenge. I’ve never won the IBF title before, so I want to win it!”

He failed to secure the aforementioned fight with Estrada, who ultimately opted to fight rising star Jesse Rodriguez last weekend. Ioka had that in mind.

“Because of the nature of the program, the negotiations didn’t go well and the event didn’t happen at the end of last year,” he said, without elaborating. Estrada’s financial demands are believed to have been too much trouble.

“I want to fight the winner of Estrada vs. Jesse Rodriguez,” he said.

As usual, Ioka headed to Las Vegas for four weeks to train under the watchful eye of longtime trainer Ismael Salas, where he also sparred with former world title challenger Angelino Cordova (18-1-1, 12 KOs), who was chosen to emulate his fellow South American’s aggressive fighting style.

The 35-year-old, who will be fighting for a 26th world title, remains as motivated as ever since he turned professional 15 years ago.

Since then he has won the WBA and WBC strawweight titles before moving up to junior flyweight and then flyweight, where he annexed the WBA belts. At junior bantamweight he won the WBO and WBA titles, although he had to relinquish the WBA title to face Joshua Franco in a rematch after initially being held to a draw rather than face the mandatory. That’s how badly he wanted to face Joshua again.

“I’ve come this far, but I’m not cheerful with where I am now, I want to see how far I can go and prove it,” he explained. “I want to encourage the people who are watching me. Of course, I will fight for my family and the people who support me.”

This looks like an intriguing style matchup, Ioka’s skill versus Martinez’s relentless aggression. However, I think Ioka having home court advantage and being more lively tips the scales in his favor.

It should be noted that Martinez has fought five of his last six fights outside of Argentina and has won, although this is a fight he hasn’t fought in over a year. My prediction is that Ioka uses his impressive skill and movement to constantly force Martinez into changing directions and wins a hard-fought but unanimous decision in just 12 rounds.

Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs), ranked No. 3 by The Ring as a junior bantamweight, was a standout amateur and represented his home country of Argentina around the world, appearing in the World Series of Boxing and at the 2016 Olympics before turning pro in 2017.

“Pumita” won his first nine fights, all in Argentina, before traveling to South Africa to stop Athenkosi Dumezweni (TKO 11). The 32-year-old was largely unknown until he defeated Jerwin Ancajas (UD 12) to win the IBF title and repeated the feat in his first defense. He then scored a behind schedule knockout over fellow Filipino Jade Bornea (TKO 11).

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The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

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Rocha vs Curiel

In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).

The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00

“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”

Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.

“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.

Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.

The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.

Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.

The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.

“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.

“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.

“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”

Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.

“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].

Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.

“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.

Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.

“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.

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Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.

WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.

“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.

“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”

Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.

Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.

Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.

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