NAGOYA, JAPAN--Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium--Lefty Japanese SATOSHI IIDA(right photo), 115, barely kept his WBA junior bantam throne, as he was awarded a majority decision over compatriot HIROKI IOKA(left photo), 115, though it was a tough fight for the champ due to his bleeding and Ioka's constant aggressiveness over 12 rounds. Scored: Armando Garcia (US) 116-111 and Fernando Viso (Venezuela) 115-113, both for Iida, and Masakazu Uchida (Japan) 114-114. Iida, making his first defense, raised his mark to 24-1-1, 11 KOs. Ioka, ex-WBA jr. fly and WBC straw champ, fell to 37-7-1, 17 KOs. Referee was Ken Morita (Japan).
It wasn't a good fight with high technical level. Iida, 28, looked a bit too nervous to throw punches as smoothly as previously, while Ioka, 29, kept boring in to cause head-butts repeatedly. Since this is the first WBA title bout after the WBC and the WBA agreed to the conformation of the rules and regulations, Ioka was penalized a point as Iida sustained a cut at the right eyelid caused by an accidental butt midway in the 5th. (Previously it was only in the WBC title bout that when there happened a gash caused by an accidental butt, the uncut boxer was deducted a point, and when by an intentional butt, two points. But the WBA decided to adopt the WBC rules of deducting a point from the uncut boxer even due to an accidental butt, and the WBC adopted the 3-knockdown rule.)
Ioka, a lanky boxer an inch taller than the champ, changed his fighting
style and turned an aggressive fighter in order to realize his dream to
become the first Asian to win three world titles in as many different
divisions. The younger lefty Iida was a prohibitive favorite, as Ioka
had failed to win the WBA fly throne 3 times, being badly stopped by
David Griman in 1993, by Saen Sow Ploenchit in 1995 and by Jose Bonilla
in the previous year. Ioka didn't show a good form in his last 2 bouts
despite his victories over Pinoy Montejo and Hidekazu Sakata. Iida, a
local favorite in Nagoya supported by many adherents, drew with the then
WBA 115-pound champ Yokthai Sith-Oar of Thailand last Apr. and captured
it from him in a rematch last Dec.
Ioka took the initiative in the 1st round, as he scored with light but fast right-left-right combination to the still nervous champ's face. Iida responded with a one-two combo, but he looked cautious and stiff. Ioka, whose record in previous world title goes was 5-6-1, a KO in 12 occasions, showed his experinece in maintaining his early start with light but more punches in the close range.
The southpaw champ, in the 3rd, began to aim at the breadbasket of the veteran and threw a right-left combo to the chest or stomach, taking a point. Iida was in command in the 4th, as he often landed good one-twos to the belly.
The ex-champ Ioka, coached by an imported Cuban trainer named Ismael Salas (who had produced 5 world champs in Thailand to receive the WBA's trainer of the year award), turned loose and recklessly mixed up with the champ in the 5th. They had a clash of heads with Iida bleeding a red ribbon from a gash at the right eyelid. Referee Morita ordered a deduction of point from Ioka, and it was confirmed by the ring announcer after this round. Many supporters of Ioka from Osaka loudly protested against it, because they were ignorant of the WBA's new rules. (When we review a scene of a head-butt happening on a videotape, Ioka went forward with his head first, but Morita called it an accidental butt.)
Ioka also dominated the 6th with his busy rallies--if not so effective--as he threw more short punches in the close range. Ioka's shots were obviously soft-punching hand blows which didn't give much damage to the champ, but he seemingly took the pace until the end of the 6th.
The 7th was a hard round to score, although two judges rendered a point to the champ and another saw it even. Neither threw many punches, but Iida threw a bit stronger punches sporadically.
Iida was still stiff and tense, but he might take the 8th as he landed a less but more effective southpaw lefts to Ioka, who threw more blows--inaccurate powder-puff shots--to pretend to be an aggressor. (All the judges scored this round for Iida, but this was also a close round.)
There might be no objection in rendering a point to Iida in the 9th. Iida wasn't aggressive, but he occasionally threw a few but more effective right-left combos followed by southpaw right hooks. Ioka attempted to threw busy hand blows in mixing up, but he wasn't effective, nor successful in his strategy in this round.
Ioka's punching became less effective--due to losing his balance--as the contest progressed, though he remained an aggressor. He should have put his power behind his blows, but he couldn't probably owing to his fatigue. On the contrary, Iida also looked poor, since he failed to display his favorite combination punching. He was punching just at a time, plus retreating to avoid Ioka's less effective hand punches.
The 11th confused this repoter's head. It was beyond description because both looked poor. Iida didn't throw many punches, and Ioka was just pushing his opponent with hand punches that obviously lacked snap. (Though this reporter finally decided to score it for Ioka, a judge gave it to Iida, another to Ioka, and the other even. It was such a close round.)
The 12th and final round was taken by Ioka who showed his determination as he had said that this should be his final fight if unsuccessful in winning the title. He kept punching and pushing the champ, who attempted to counter but failed to catch the desperate challenger. Ioka's punches seemed less effective, lacking convincing power. But it was true that he was an aggressor in the final 3 minutes.
Ioka himself appeared to have won the fight. But he must realize that his aggressive rallies throughout the fight was continually less effective, because he failed to throw power punches. Iida threw fewer punches, but more effective in hitting the target. It was fortunate that this reporter was not a judge, nor a referee of this bout.
As the decision was announced, a riot happened in the ring--a la Tyson vs. Ruddock I. Ioka's supporters from Osaka rushed into the ring and angrily protested against the verdict. Someone hit the referee Morita at the chest, saying Ioka had lost because he (Morita) deducted a point due to a head-butt. Iida's manager/promoter Toshiro Matsuo made his champ promptly return to the dressing room to protect him from the riot. After it ceased, Iida returned to the ring to receive a trophy. Anyway, this fight plus an aftermath (the riot), plus the contents of the low leveled fight didn't give us good impression after watching the 9th world title bout between Japanese compatriots.
ARMANDO GARDICA(US)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| Iida | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 116 |
| Ioka | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10(-1) | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 111 |
FERNANDO VISO(Venezuela)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| Iida | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 115 |
| Ioka | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10(-1) | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 113 |
MASAKAZU UCHIDA (Japan)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| Iida | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 114 |
| Ioka | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10(-1) | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 114 |
REFEREE: KEN MORITA (JAPAN)
This card featured good and interesting matches on the undercards.
| Unbeaten local prospect Hayato Asai, 113, decked an important triumph, as he withstood the last surge of the WBC international light fly champ and the WBC #8 ranked contender Sangik Yang, 112 1/2, Korea, and earned a close but unanimous decision (96-94, 97-94 and 96-95) over 10. Asai, 10-0-2, 8 KOs, landed solid body shots, but the lefty Korean Yang occasionally scored big punches to have him at bay. It was really a see-saw battle. Yang, a rugged lefty, dropped to 16-5, 12 KOs. Yang's cornermen refused to make the boxer leave the ring in protest against the verdict. They might have thought that Yang was a victor because of his furious attack in the final session, but Asai had occasionally damaged him with his solid body shots to double him up. |  |
| Imported Ugandan living in Nagoya, lefty speedster Isaac Sentuwa, 123 3/4, proved too fast and shifty for highly regarded world contender Bongchul Kim, 123 1/2, Korea, to be awarded an upset TKO triumph at the end of the 5th round as Kim had his right optic completely closed with his absorption of Sentuwa's sharp shots. Sentuwa, a stablemate of Iida belonging to Midori Gym, is 5-0, 4 KOs. Kim, the WBC #12 super-bantam contender, fell to 31-2-4, 22 KOs. |  |
| Another upset happened, as Peter "Ishimaru" Okello, another Ugandan living in Nagoya, 214 1/4, extended his unbeaten mark to 3-0, 3 KOs, when he beautifully stopped Australian lefty Colin Wilson, 197, the OPBF #1 ranked heavyweight contender, at 2:14 of the 2nd round in a scheduled 10. This talented African stands 6'4" and boxes soundly, plus he can punch. Peter had him sprawling to the deck with a hard left hook, and floored him again with a strong right, when the referee intervened. Wilson, who showed a good southpaw form in the opening session, is 20-8-1, 12 KOs. |  |
| Another prospect here in Nagoya, unbeaten Naoto Takajo, 126 3/4, decked Filipino Jun Cudeldiego, 126 1/4, and chalked up a TKO win at 2:41 of the 2nd round in a scheduled 8. Takajo, formerly All Japan Shinjin-o (Novice King) tourney winner, is 13-0, 10 KOs. He is a hard-hitting switch-hitter, but he needs more improvement in the defensive skill. The Filipino reportedly dropped to 12-9-5, 5 KOs. |  |
| Ex-Japanese jr. fly champ Hideki Todaka, 112 1/2, unanimously outscored also ex-national fly ruler Hiroshi Kobayashi, 113, over 8. Todaka, in his first showing since he was traded to Midori Gym, bettered his mark to 11-2, 5 KOs. Kobayashi (not ex-world junior light chmap) impaired to 11-13-2, 3 KOs. |  |
Promoter: Midori Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions.
WBA supervisor: Gilberto Jesus Mendoza (Venezuela)
(4-29-98)