On December 31st, 2013, Osaka boxing fans witnessed their hometown hero Kazuto Ioka defend his WBA title for the third time. Judges present scored the bout unanimously, 115-113, 119-110, 119-109. The Junior Flyweight Champion certainly saw the year out with a bang, though holding onto his title proved no easy task against his opponent, Felix Alvarado.
From the first bell, it was clear the previously unbeaten Alvarado (18-1, 15 KO) had come to bring the upset. He’d come to fight. And he asserted himself early, relentlessly coming forward. Ioka (14-0, 9 KO) embraced the pressure, however, and landed enough clean shots to cause significant swelling around the left eye of his challenger.
Ioka had made a statement: he wasn’t going to be bullied. And a big statement it was; so much so that the bout was temporarily halted while a ringside doctor examined the swelling, concerned for Alvarado’s vision. Alvarado wasn’t about to let his handicap spoil the opportunity before him.
The fight quickly ignited into a war, which eventually turned to one of attrition which suited Alvarado given his evident tank reserves. Both men traded power shots, unloading till the final bell sounded.
There was no mistaking the superior operator, however. Ioka quickly noticed two shots his challenger was susceptible to: the straight-right and uppercut. And these were implemented with great effect. After being dominated by his game challenger in the 9th, Ioka picked off Alvarado in the 10th, showcasing great rhythm and timing.
Ioka finished strongly, but constantly found himself under pressure. In the final minute of the 12th Alvarado increased his attack, choosing to trade with reckless abandon. Ioka obliged, unloading his own arsenal of punches which raised the Osaka crowd to their feet, closing an all-action contest.
According to the rumor mill, this may be Ioka’s final fight at 108lbs before he climbs into the Flyweight division. If this is true, fight fans will have to forget about the highly sought after dream match with Roman Gonzalez. At least for now, anyway – perhaps an unavoidable, lucrative Ioka vs Gonzalez may well manifest in the near future at Flyweight?
Ioka is still likely to find some relatively stiff competition among the 112 pounders, regardless, and will draw crowds as he steers his career towards them. As for Alvarado, 2014 is still full of possibilities, especially given his spirited performance that night. Another world title shot is surely in the cards for the Nicaragua native.
Undercard action saw Thailand’s Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr. beat favorite Ryo Miyazaki with an unscripted 3rd round KO. The win will certainly be considered one of Japan’s biggest upsets of 2013, and likely open doors for the visiting Junior Flyweight contender, Sakkreerin Jr. Whether Miyazaki’s weight-drained physique contributed to his first professional loss is now open for debate among fight fans and officials alike.
Let us know your verdict on Ioka vs Alvarado and the undercard boxing results in the comments below.
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