SPORTS FACTS AND FIGURES 3: KAZUTO IOKA WINS HIS 12TH NEW YEAR'S EVE FIGHT
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Jan 2024
Since his third year as a pro in 2011, Kazuto Ioka fighting in the main event on the last day of the year has been an annual episode, except in 2017 when he retired briefly. The end of the year and the beginning of the new one is an extravaganza of exciting events in Japanese sports, with international football friendlies, the Ekiden relay race, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom, different MMA and kickboxing events and many more are always held.
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In boxing, Japan's biggest stars fight at the end of the year, and currently, the active boxers Naoya Inoue and Ioka, the country’s most popular fighters and the two of its most decorated boxing champions ever.
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Here are the New Year's Eve fights of Ioka:
Won over Yodgoen Tor Chalermchai by TKO 1 on December 31, 2011 at Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan, retaining the WBC mini-flyweight title.
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Won over José Alfredo Rodríguez by TKO 6 on December 31, 2012 at Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan for the vacant WBA (Regular) light-flyweight title.
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Won over Felix Alvarado by UD 12 on December 31, 2013 at Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan, retaining the WBA (Regular) light-flyweight title.
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Won over Jean Piero Pérez by KO 5 on December 31, 2014 at Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan.
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Won over Juan Carlos Reveco by TKO 11 on December 31, 2015 at Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan , retaining the WBA (Regular) flyweight title.
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Won over Stamp Kiatniwat by TKO 7 on December 31, 2016 at Shimazu Arena, Kyoto, Japan, retaining the WBA flyweight title.
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Lost to Donnie Nietes by SD 12 on December 31, 2018 at Wynn Palace, Macau, SAR for the vacant WBO super-flyweight title.
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Won over Jeyvier Cintrón by UD 12 on December 31, 2019 at Ota City General Gymnasium, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, retaining the WBO super-flyweight title.
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Won over Kosei Tanaka by TKO 8 on December 31, 2020 at Ota City General Gymnasium, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, retaining the WBO super-flyweight title.
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Won over Ryoji Fukunaga by UD 12 on December 31, 2021 at Ota City General Gymnasium, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, retaining the WBO super-flyweight title.
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Drew with Joshua Franco by MD 12 on December 31, 2022 at Ota City General Gymnasium, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, retaining the WBO super-flyweight title and for the WBA super-flyweight title.
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Won over Josber Perez by KO 7 on December 31, 2023 at Ota City General Gymnasium, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, retaining the WBA super-flyweight title.
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Pedro “Kid Pedro Heneral” Taduran won a convincing unanimous decision victory over Jake “El Bambino” Amparo during their International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight title eliminator on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at the Bohol Wisdom School gymnasium in Tagbilaran.
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The 27-year-old Taduran, therefore inched closer in his quest to regain the IBF world minimumweight title he once held from 2019 to 2021. The win earned Taduran the right as the mandatory challenger for the reigning champion Japanese Ginjiro Shigeoka.
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Sports History: January 3, 1916. Harry Wills defeated Sam Langford in their fourth fight. They will eventually fight for a number of bouts 22 times.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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