## IOKA, TAKAYAMA TO MAKE TITLE DEFENSES TODAY

September 27, 2015

OSAKA, JAPAN

A world title twinbill will take place today (Sunday) in Osaka, Japan. WBA flyweight champ Kazuto Ioka (17-1, 10 KOs) will make his initial defense of his third belt against Argentine Roberto Domingo Sosa (26-2-1, 14 KOs), while IBF minimum titlist Katsunari Takayama (29-7-0-1NC, 11 KOs) will put his title on the line against younger compatriot Ryuji Hara (19-1, 11 KOs) in his second defense after his coronation last December.

The weigh-in ceremony was held yesterday. Ioka scaled in at the 112-pound class limit to 111 for Sosa. Takayama tipped the beam a quarter pound lighter at 111.75 than Hara at the 108-pound limit.

Ioka, 26, is the fastest boxer that won three belts in as many different classes in only eighteen pro bouts, surpassing Jeff Fenech. The excellent boxer-puncher acquired six national championships as a Kokoku high school student and compiled a 95-10 amateur mark, though he failed to be an Olympian due to some controversial decisions. Kazuto, the nephew of formerly two-time world champ Hiroki Ioka, lately captured the WBA 112-pound belt by earning a well-received majority verdict over defending titlist Juan Carlos Reveco this April. Juan Domingo Sosa, with so good credentials, once defeated future world champ Zolani Tete, a very tall southpaw, in 2012 but failed to win the vacant IBF 115-pound throne, losing a decision to Juan Carlos Sanchez next year. Sosa may be a tough opponent that Ioka should not take lightly and be careful of.

Takayama, seven years his senior at 32, has already gained the belts of all the four organizations in the 105-pound category?at a separate time. The veteran making his second defense of the IBF throne will face the younger challenger Hara belt who once attempted to be a jockey rather than a professional boxer although he won four national high school championships. Takayama, a prefight favorite due to his superior experience, will see how fast the former jockey-aspirant Hara will be.

This card is presented by Ioka Promotions.

(9-27-2015)

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