Fighting mostly in Osaka, the 24-year-old Kazuto Ioka has won eight championship fights in a row?many with spectacular knockouts?
?Ioka is a good fighter, but when we collide he will face someone who is better.??Roman ?El Chocolito? Gonzalez
?A Gonzalez-Ioka match-up would be both explosive and tactically compelling, but I can?t imagine Ioka holding up for the entire fight.??Charles Farrell
If you know who these two exciting mini-bombers are, then you just might be a serious boxing fan. Fact is, fans will pay $60 to see Mayweather fight Khan, but I?d willingly spend that amount to watch Ioka or Gonzalez, and especially against each other.
Fighting mostly in Osaka, the 24-year-old Kazuto (14-0) has won eight championship fights in a row?many with spectacular knockouts that have dazzled his fans. Now a two-division champion, Ioka blends solid defense with precision punching and KO power (upstairs and downstairs) in both hands. This thrill merchant is clearly the best fighter in the world with just 14 professional bouts, and he one of the most exciting pugilists fighting today.
Kazuto schooled undefeated Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado in his last outing in late December 2013 despite the Martian-like scoring of Judge Sergio Caiz, but there is another undefeated Nicaraguan who would be a far more daunting foe; namely Roman Gonzalez (37-0 with 31 KOs). Roman is no stranger to Japan having fought there five times; in fact, he has often fought outside Nicaragua.
If the best truly fight the best, it is now time to start talking up a fight between ?El Chocolatito,? the current WBA light flyweight champion and former WBA minimumweight champion, and Kazuto, the current WBA super light flyweight champion and former WBC minimumweight champion.
Look for the dangerous and avoided Gonzalez (who has been in 10 successful title bouts) to fight and win in Japan sometime in March and stir up even more interest for a showdown with Ioka. WBC flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi would be the perfect benchmark opponent, but he wants no part of Roman. That?s a pity because Ioka beat Yaegashi in June 2102 in an extremely close UD.
Roman Gonzalez vs. Kazuto Ioka, who wins? Gonzalez is special; like a mini Mike Tyson with similar movement who skillfully set ups his considerable power. At this point, even If the fight is made and is held in Japan, I don?t believe it is winnable for Ioka because I question whether he could handle Gonzalez?s power?
Let?s find out in 2014.
