Iwata Wants to Unify after Overpowering Noriega For The Title
Tensions were high as Shokichi Iwata and Jairo Noriega fought for the vacant WBO junior flyweight title in Tokyo, Japan. This was Iwata’s second world title fight.
In November 2022, he lost by decision to the former WBO champion Jonathon Gonzalez. On a four-fight winning streak since that setback, Iwata faced Noriega, who was fighting for only the second fight outside the comforts of his native Spain.
BOMBS AWAY
Noriega (14-1, 3 KOs) had an awkward style and got off to a good start. In the opening round, he landed with looping lefts and rights to the head and body. However, at the midway mark of round two, Iwata (14-1, 11) began to adjust by fighting behind the jab and fighting from the outside. As he found more success in boxing, Iwata was able to land with sharp right hands and counter shots.
What looked like a potential barnburner took a sudden shift as with thirty seconds to go in the third, Noriega suffered a knockdown courtesy of an Iwata’s right uppercut. Sensing the moment, the Japanese fighter went on an all-out assault. With seconds to go in the round, his left hook put Noriega down face-first. That was when the referee waved the fight over.
While this surely counts as the biggest win of Iwata’s career, he’s hungry to be at the top of the mountain in the division. During the post-fight interview, he called for a unification clash with newly crowned WBC champion Masamichi Yabuki.
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