The WBA has ordered a unification title bout between Juan Francisco Estrada, the sanctioning body’s Super World flyweight titlist, and Kazuto Ioka, the WBA World flyweight titleholder.
As Ioka is defending his title against Keyvin Lara on July 20, the resolution will go into effect the next day. Representatives of Estrada and Ioka will have until August 20 to reach an agreement. Should they fail to do so, the fight will go to a purse bid. It will fall to Lara to honor the WBA’s resolution, should he emerge victorious in his bout with Ioka.
Twenty-six-year-old Estrada has fought out of his native Mexico since 2008 (33-2, 24 KOs). “El Gallo” won his title (as well as the WBO World flyweight belt) in April 2013 by beating Brian Viloria via split decision. He’s successfully defended five times, most recently last September by knocking out Hernan Marquez in the 10th. Never stopped, Estrada hasn’t lost since November 2012 when Roman Gonzalez beat him by unanimous decision for the WBA World light flyweight title.
Fighting out of Osaka since 2009, 27-year-old Ioka (19-1, 11 KOs) won the title by beating Juan Carlos Reveco via majority decision last April. He successfully defended his belt five months later by beating Roberto Domingo Sosa via unanimous decision and three months after that by stopping Reveco via 11th-round TKO in a rematch. Never stopped, Ioka’s sole loss came in May 2014 when he tried for the IBF World flyweight title, losing to Amnat Ruenroeng by split decision. Despite the defeat, Ioka is a three-division champ. In addition to his flyweight title, he won the WBC World minimumweight title by stopping Oleydong Sithsamerchai via fifth-round TKO in February 2011, as well as the WBA World minimumweight title by beating Akira Yaegashi via unanimous decision in June 2012, and the vacant WBA World light flyweight title by stopping Jose Alfredo Rodriguez via sixth-round TKO six months later.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
