World Boxing Organization’s sixth-ranked super flyweight Ryoji Fukunaga of Kadoebi Boxing Gym relinquished his WBO’s Asia-Pacific and Japanese titles on Dec. 28 in preparation for his challenge to WBO world champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym on New Year’s Eve at Tokyo’s Ota City General Gymnasium.

The 35-year-old Fukunaga captured the WBO Asia-Pacific title in February last year by stopping Froilan Saludar of the Philippines and added the Japanese and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation tiles in December that year with a technical knockout over Kenta Nakagawa of Misako Boxing Gym. Fukunaga later relinquished the OPBF title, though.

According to gym officials, Fukunaga decided to give up these two titles although the current rule allows a boxer to take a crack at a world title by holding a Japanese title, which goes to show Fukunaga’s enthusiasm concerning the upcoming title challenge.

Fukunaga has a 15-4 win-loss tally with 14 KOs, while Ioka has a record of 27 wins, including 15 KOs, against two losses.