World Boxing Association super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym, landing a hard straight right to the head, knocked out sixth-ranked challenger Josber Perez of Venezuela to retain the title for the first time on Dec. 31 in Tokyo.

  Ioka won the title last June by decisioning Joshua Franco of the United States by relinquishing his World Boxing Organization super flyweight title.

  It was the 34-year-old Ioka’s 22^nd world title victory, the most in the Japanese history, drawing apart undisputed world super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’the Monster’’ Inoue’s 21 attained five days earlier.

  It was Ioka’s first KO victory in six bouts as he stopped the previously undefeated Kosei Tanaka of Soul Box Hatanaka Boxing Gym exactly three years ago to retain his WBO super flyweight crown. Ioka had previously held world minimumweight, light flyweight and flyweight titles.

  The end of the scheduled 12-rounder at Ota City General Gymnasium came 2 minutes and 44 seconds into the round when Ioka connected with a straight right to the head by driving Perez to the ropes, sending his 28-year-old opponent to the canvas.

  Perez’s damage was such that he could not get up when Puerto Rican referee Janny Guzman’s count tolled 10.

  Ioka also floored Perez twice in the fifth round with a barrage of left-and-right combination blows. But Perez was saved by the bell to end the round. Ioka was putting the pressure on his opponent from the third round by stalking him constantly.

  After the fight, Ioka said, ‘’I am very pleased by my being able to show a KO victory for the first time in a long time. Though Perez had a punching power, I really wanted to earn a KO victory for my fans.’’

  Ioka now has a record of 31 wins, including 16 knockouts, against two losses and a draw, while Perez fell to a 20-4 win-loss tally with 18 KOs.