Fernando Martínez, 16-0 ( 9 KO), is fully convinced that the experience he has after defeating two Filipino fighters (Jade Bornea and Jerwin Ancajas) in his last three fights will give him enough advantage when he goes up tomorrow to face the Japanese Kazuto Ioka 31-2-1 (16 KO) on July 7th at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Martinez Aims for History
“I want to make “history,” Fernando ‘Pumita’ Martinez said at a press conference days before he left for Japan. “I think Argentina deserves a unified champion, and we are more focused and prepared than ever. I have the right age and experience. These last three fights gave me a lot of experience. I am relaxed because we have had an excellent job with my team. I’m just getting ready for the fight, and I’m excited about it.”
After losing to Martinez twice, Ancajas never looked the same. 35-year-old Ioka doesn’t seem to be aging yet. 32-year-old Martinez has great resistance, and Pumita’s top card is the volume of punches thrown per round.
Martinez’s Volume Punching
On paper, this fight looks like one Ioka should win. However, Martinez is a warrior who throws many punches, and an epic battle is expected. Ioka’s resistance is also present, and defeating him at home won’t be as straightforward as it seems.
If Martinez can resist the power of Ioka and enters to fight in the short distance, his chances will increase. It is not a comfortable fight for any of them. From everything we know, this fight may be the best of the weekend.
Winning in Japan: A Difficult Feat
Few can achieve winning in Japan. Fernando Martínez must impose his fight plan from the beginning and not water the distance to Ioka. The odds of -150 Ioka and -120 Martinez suggest that it will be a highly contested fight.
Ioka is little known on this side of the world, mainly because he has spent most of his career in his home country. He defeated Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo in America in 2018 but later lost to Nietes in China.
To enjoy a fight between two great super-flyweight champions, we’ll either have to wake up early or tune in to the broadcasts of the events between Shakur and Zepeda.
Read the full article here
