Kazuto Ioka, a former amateur star who had only six pro fights, stopped Oleydong Sithsamerchai in the fifth round to take Sithsamerchai?s WBC strawweight title Friday in Hyogo, Japan.
Ioka (7-0, 5 knockouts) put Sithsamerchai (35-1-1, 13 KOs) down in the second and fifth rounds en route to handing the experienced Thai fighter his first loss.
Sithsamerchai, who was making the seventh defense of his belt, is rated No. 2 by THE RING.
