Top-ranked World Boxing Association bantamweight Sho Ishida of Ioka Boxing Gym expressed his confidence on March 21 in his upcoming challenge to champion Takuma Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym for the latter’s title on May 6 at Tokyo Dome.

  Speaking before a group of reporters at the Osaka-based gym, the 32-year-old Ishida said, ‘’As a boxer I am happy that I can have a world title fight. I have to thank my gym’s head and manager first. I will win the fight at all costs.’’

  The upcoming fight will be one of the four world title fights at the dome, in which Takuma’s elder brother and stablemate Naoya ‘’The Monster’’ Inoue will defend his undisputed world super bantamweight titles against Luis Nery of Mexico as the main event.

  Kazunori Ioka, the gym’s head, said, ‘’Ishida got the right to have the world title challenge by decisioning a South American boxer (Victor Santillan of the Dominican Republic) in a title elimination bout last June. Though Inoue is a strong-minded and aggressive boxer, Ishida should avoid Inoue coming to clinch him.’’

  In this connection, Ishida said, ‘’Ideally, I want to stop him. True my opponent clinches a lot, but I will not do that. I want to exchange punches with him with all my might.’’

  It will be Ishida’s second crack at a world title following his unsuccessful challenge to then WBA super flyweight champion Khalid Yafai of Britain in October 2017.

  Ishida has a record of 34 wins, including 17 KOs, against three losses. The 28-year-old Inoue has a 19-1 win-loss tally with five KOs.