The planned title unification fight between World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym and International Boxing Federation’s champion Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines scheduled for Dec. 31 at Tokyo’s Ota City General Gymnasium will not take place due to the Japanese government’s restrictions on entry into Japan by foreign residents in response to the spread of the Omicron variant overseas, the gym said on Dec. 3.

The move is in line with the decision the same day of the postponement of the title unification fight between World Boxing Association middleweight ‘’super’’ champion Ryota Murata of Teiken Boxing Gym and IBF middleweight ruler Gennadiy Gennadyevich Golovkin of Kazakhstan on Dec. 29 at Saitama Super Arena for the same reason.

The 32-year-old Ioka, the only Japanese who has captured world titles in four different weight divisions, has successfully defended the WBO super flyweight title three times.

His gym said the new fight date will be decided by closely consulting with the parties concerned and the degree of the spread of the infectious status of Omicron variant, etc.