Kazuto Ioka

Kazuto Ioka (井岡 一翔) is a Japanese professional boxer.

He reached the semifinals of the 2008 King's Cup, an amateur boxing tournament held in Thailand, before losing to Amnat Ruenroeng.

Ioka joined Tokyo Agricultural University, hoping to represent his country in the 2008 Olympics but he would fall short on the qualifiers.

Upon failing to qualify for the Olympics, Ioka dropped out from college and turned professional in 2009.

On April 12, 2009, he fought against Thongthailek Sor Tanapinyo, and won his debut via a third-round technical knockout.

After this victory, he won six straight victories.

After winning 5 fights, Ioka competed for the vacant Japanese light flyweight title.

Ioka captured the national title by stopping Masayoshi Segawa in the final 10th round.

He is the first male Japanese boxer and fourth Asian to be a four-weight world champion, having held the unified WBA and WBC mini-flyweight titles between 2011 and 2012, the WBA (Regular) light-flyweight title from 2012 to 2014, the WBA flyweight title from 2015 to 2017, the WBO super-flyweight title from 2019 to 2023, and the WBA super-flyweight title since June 2023.

As of July 2023, he is ranked as the world’s second-best active super-flyweight by The Ring magazine, and third by BoxRec and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.

Kazuto Ioka is the nephew of flyweight champion Hiroki Ioka.

Kazuto asked his father to teach him how to box as a teenager.

His father, Kazunori Ioka, would continue training him through his amateur and professional career.

Ioka amassed a record of 95-10 as an amateur, winning six national high school tournaments along the way.

In his next fight, Ioka won the WBC mini-flyweight title from Oleydong Sithsamerchai via a fifth-round technical knockout in the latter's seventh title defence at the World Memorial Hall, in February 2011.

Sithsamerchai was knocked down twice over the course of his first professional loss.

Ioka went on to defend his title twice in 2011, first against Juan Hernández, winning via unanimous decision (118–111, 117–111, 116–112), and then against Yodgoen Tor Chalermchai, winning via first-round technical knockout on New Year's Eve 2011.

On 20 June 2012, Ioka met WBA champion Akira Yaegashi in a match that marked the first time two Japanese fighters had met to unify world titles.

The fight took place at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Ioka defeated the WBA champion Akira Yaegashi via a unanimous decision (115–113, 115–113, 115–114).

The two fighters exchanged hard shots throughout a tense, tactical fight.

The fight ended with Yaegashi and Ioka trading combinations while looking for a knockout.

From early in the fight, Yaegashi's eye was nearly shut.

The ringside doctor performed several checks on it but Yaegashi was allowed to finish the fight.

When asked whether the result would have been different unless he got swollen eyes, Yaegashi said "We should not think about it. There is no if's in boxing".

The day after the fight, Ioka decided to move up a weight division.

Shortly after the fight, Ioka moved up to light flyweight as well.

On December 31, 2012, Ioka beat undefeated José Alfredo Rodríguez for the vacant WBA (Regular) light-flyweight title at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Ioka knocked Rodríguez down once in round 1 and twice in round 6 before the referee stopped the fight.

Ioka held the Regular version of the WBA's title, while Román Gonzalez was the WBA (Super) champion.

Ioka went on to defend his title three times but he never faced González.

On February 28, 2014, Ioka would vacate the WBA title to move up to the flyweight division in order to attempt becoming a three division world champion.

On May 7, 2014, Ioka faced Thai IBF champion Amnat Ruenroeng at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Ioka seemed to be the more active boxer but Ruenroeng landed heavier blows while countering Ioka.

Ruenroeng lost a point for hitting after the break.

Nevertheless, Ruenroeng retained his title with a split decision (119–108, 115–112, 113–114).

The 119–108 card turned in by judge Pawel Kardyni was criticized as being far too wide.

On April 22, 2015, Ioka realized his goal to be a triple champion, when he defeated WBA (Regular) champion Juan Carlos Reveco by majority decision (116–113, 115–113, 114–114).

The fight saw Reveco take the early rounds but Ioka came on strong in the middle rounds and got the nod in the end.

Reveco appealed the decision to the World Boxing Association, who ordered an immediate rematch.