Kazuto Ioka plans to revisit past business despite the present task at hand.
krikya360.com has learned that a request was placed by Ioka through Shisei Promotions with the WBA for permission to pursue a title unification bout versus lineal/WBC 115-pound champion Juan Francisco Estrada. The development came just as the deadline approached to work out terms with WBA mandatory challenger John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez for a previously ordered title defense.
The request would still have to be approved by the WBA for Ioka to move forward with those plans. Should that occur, the attractive matchup is targeted for July 3 in Tokyo. A venue was not specified though it would likely land at Ota-City General Gymnasium, which has hosted Ioka’s past eight bouts. The most recent came in a seventh-round knockout of Venezuela’s Josber Perez last New Year’s Eve.
Traditionally, both sides of an ordered title defense would have to be on board for such an exception to advance. The mandatory challenger in waiting is not keen on standing down.
“No deal, no step aside money,” Ramirez posted Tuesday evening on X in response to an inquiry from LDubb Boxing podcast host Lawrence ‘Boog’ Williams. “Run me my mandatory. Here to conquer the [division]. #AndTheNew.”
Ioka-Ramirez was ordered on January 13, two weeks after Ioka (31-2-1, 16KOs) made the first defense of the WBA 115-pound title. The four-division titlist won the belt in a twelve-round, unanimous decision over San Antonio’s Joshua Franco (18-2-3, 8KOs) in their rematch last June 24 in Tokyo.
The win over Franco came six months after the two fought to a majority decision draw in their 2022 New Year’s Eve attempted WBA/WBO unification bout also at Ota-City General Gymnasium. Ioka had to give up his WBO title to move forward with the Franco rematch.
His decision to face Perez in an optional defense came into play once previously promising talks collapsed for a New Year’s Eve showdown versus Estrada (44-2, 28KOs). A financial dispute was the cause for the sudden fallout after the two sides seemed to be close to a deal.
Los Angeles’ Ramirez (13-0, 9KOs) became the mandatory challenger after a sensational fourth-round knockout of former title challenger Ronal Batista last October 21 in Inglewood, California. The home game saw the outspoken 26-year-old contender pick up his third win on the year, and his first by knockout since last May.
The development now puts Ramirez in line for his first career title fight. It also comes at a time when his stablemate, former WBO super middleweight titlist Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (no relation) is in line to challenge WBA cruiserweight titlist Arsen Goulamirian on March 30 at a U.S. location to be determined.
Should an Ioka-Estrada fight materialize, it would come after Estrada—a two-division champ—completed a non-title fight targeted for early spring. Estrada has not fought since December 2022, when he defeated former four-division titlist Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez via majority decision in their celebrated rubber match in Glendale, Arizona.
For now, the unification bout is dependent upon either Ramirez having a change of heart or a favorable ruling from the WBA where Ramirez would have to face the winner within a specified period. The only other alternative would be for Ioka to vacate the title and simply challenge for Estrada’s lineal/WBC crown.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox