Fernando Martínez vs. Kazuto Ioka 2: Illness Causes Cancellation

Kazuto Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs) will have to wait a while longer for a chance to avenge his loss to Fernando Martínez (17-0, 9 KOs).

The Argentinian withdrew from their rematch set to take place on December 31 at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. Their bout, had it gone ahead, would have been for Martínez’s WBA super flyweight title. The remainder of the Shisei Promotions card, which includes a WBA super featherweight eliminator between Hayato Tsutsumi and Rene Alvarado, will go ahead as scheduled on ABEMA.

Fernando Martínez vs. Kazuto Ioka 2: Illness Causes Cancellation

Flu Given as Reason for Withdrawal

According to Martínez’s manager and trainer Rodrigo Calabrese, the reason for the WBA champion’s withdrawal was due to him having the flu.

“I prioritize my boxer’s health,” Calabrese said in Spanish to ESPN KnockOut. “We are always going to win and my boxer was not in a condition to get into a ring. And whatever happens, the boxer’s health comes first.”

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On December 26, Martínez was supposed to appear at a public workout. However, he cancelled it, claiming that he had a fever. His team at the time also requested to skip the final press conference that was to take place on December 29. Ultimately, Martínez did not appear at the press conference.

Kazuto Ioka Reacts

The cancellation denies Ioka a chance to avenge his unanimous decision loss to Martínez in July of this year. Upon the Argentinian’s withdrawal becoming official, Ioka had this to say:

“I feel very sorry not to be able to fight Martinez, and wish to fight for the world championship either with him or with another organization’s champion,” he said in Japanese according to Joe Koizumi.

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Organizers did not confirm whether or not the rematch will be rescheduled for a later date. Whether it happens remains to be seen. If it does, boxing fans should find out in the coming weeks.

Fernando Martínez vs. Kazuto Ioka 1

The first fight between the two saw Martínez put his IBF super flyweight title at stake. On the other hand, Ioka put his WBA belt on the line. After 12 rounds of action, Martínez wound up winning via unanimous decision with scores of 120-108, 117-111 and 116-112, becoming a unified super flyweight champion. He later vacated the IBF title to pursue a rematch with Ioka. Here is how Big Fight Weekend recapped their first meeting:

Martínez forced a fast pace from the opening bell. Ioka’s chin allowed him to stay standing in the face of his opponent’s aggression, but the Argentinian’s volume would prove difficult to deal with for the remainder of the fight. Despite the repeated bursts of activity from Martínez, Ioka stuck to consistently working the body.

Read More: Joshua Franco-Kazuto Ioka Title Bout Ends In Draw

Martínez was bothered by repeated shots to the body, particularly the left hook, but it did not prevent him from coming forward. In the latter rounds with an opponent trying to walk him down with combinations, Martínez created separation between the two and had particular success with his right hand. Ioka continued with left hooks to the body and rights to the head.

The final round saw Martínez constantly switch stances. While Ioka continued to throw combinations, they did not have the same effectiveness as they did in the second half of the fight. In the end – the fight was a competitive affair between two reigning world champions. The judges appeared to value the work rate of Martínez, something reflected in the scorecards.