Kazuto Ioka retained his WBO super flyweight title Wednesday in Tokyo with a unanimous decision victory over Donnie Nietes, the Japanese fighter avenging an earlier loss in a title rematch with his Filipino foe.
The 33-year-old Ioka defended his World Boxing Organization title for the fifth straight time with a clinical performance against a dangerous and highly experienced opponent at Ota City General Gymnasium.
"It means a lot to get my revenge against the same opponent I lost to three years, seven months ago in Macau," Ioka said.
"I wanted to show everyone I can win by knockout but Donnie Nietes has a great defense and he wouldn't let me. But I'm glad it was a decisive unanimous decision victory."
After a cautious start to the 12-round bout between the two four-weight champions, Ioka turned up the pace and began walking the 40-year-old Nietes down behind his high-volume jab and damaging combinations.
As the bout moved into the later rounds, Ioka was well on top with Nietes relying on his counterpunching to stay competitive.
Ioka opened a nasty cut above Nietes' left eye with a heavy straight left in the 10th round, with the referee having the ringside doctor check the gash, but the elder fighter battled bravely on.
Ioka closed the bout out in fashion, accepting the belt with barely a mark on his face to improve to a career 29-win, 2-loss record, with 15 knockouts.
The win avenges his split decision loss to Nietes on New Year's Eve at the end of 2018 when both fighters were chasing the vacant 52.16-kilogram belt, named the junior bantamweight division by the WBO.
Ioka regained the belt in June 2019 with a win over Aston Palicte after the title was vacated by Nietes and has kept it since, with all his defenses coming on Japanese soil.
The loss in Tokyo is Nietes' first defeat since 2004 and only second ever as a professional. He has 43 wins and six draws.
