World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym said at an online press conference on Aug. 10 that he will defend his title for the third time against second-ranked Francisco Rodriguez Jr. of Mexico on Sept. 1 in Tokyo.

The scheduled 12-rounder at the Ota-City General Gymnasium will be held as Ioka’s mandatory title defense.

While the 32-year-old Ioka, who has won world titles in four different weight categories as the only Japanese to do so, wanted a title unification fight with other organization, he said, ‘’Doing a mandatory title defense is also my duty as a champion. After retaining the title, I will move onto the next stage. But I cannot take him lightly considering his career.’’

The 29-year-old Rodriguez, the then WBO minimumweight champion, beat in a tremendous fight then International Boxing Federation champion Katsunari Takayama of Neyagawa Ishida Boxing Gym in 2014 to unify the titles. Rodriguez has a record of 34 wins, including 24 knockouts, against four losses and a draw. He has been continuing 15 straight wins.

While Ioka was involved in a series of doping-related scandals concerning Ioka’s alleged use of a banned drug in his successful title defense against Kosei Tanaka of SOUL BOX Hatanaka Boxing Gym on Dec. 31 last year, the Japan Boxing Commission’s slipshod management of Ioka’s urine samples turned out be responsible, and the JBC formally apologized to Ioka recently.

According to Ioka, he started a full-fledged training only around the middle of this July. But he appeared in a good physical shape as he said, ‘’I will do what I have to do and will face my opponent as always. Though the designated bout is not what I wanted, now that it’s come to this, I will show the difference of class.’’ Ioka has a 26-2 win-loss tally with 15 KOs.　Photo by Shisei Boxing Gym