Kosei Tanaka Vacates WBO Flyweight title; Becomes Kazuto Ioka Mandatory!
One of boxing’s best fighters is on the prowl for more history! Japan’s Kosei Tanaka (15-0, 9KOs) has vacated his WBO flyweight title and has evoked his status as the WBO super champion. This paves the way for a showdown with fellow Japanese great Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14KOs) at super flyweight. Tanaka, a three division world champion in only 15 fights, is ready for even more glory. The 24-year-old will now look to become a super flyweight champion in 2020. To date, he has already won titles at minimumweight, light flyweight and flyweight. The boxer-puncher has undoubtedly firmly entrenched himself as a top pound for pound fighter.
However, to take his career to even bigger heights, he’ll have to get by an guy who’s just as good in Kazuto Ioka. This won’t be an easy task, even considering Ioka has been defeated twice. In both cases, you could argue as to why he could very well have been declared as the victor. In his most recent defeat against future hall of famer Donnie Nietes (42-1-5, 23KOs), defeat would come by a split decision.
It was a fight that genuinely could’ve went either way. Ioka would bounce back to win the vacant WBO super flyweight title in his very next fight against Aston Palicte (25-4-1, 21KOs). Ironically, Palicte would receive a gift draw back in 2018 with Nietes.
Negotiations have yet to commence. However, the announcement of Tanaka vacating his title with the intent to challenge Ioka leads me to believe its only a matter of time before we hear of a deal being negotiated.
Let’s hope this fight gets made and made quickly!
3kingsboxing.com will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
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