By Ian S Palmer
WBO Super Flyweight Champion Kazuto Ioka will be defending the belt for the first time when he meets Jeyvier Cintron of Puerto Rico in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve. Ioka won the vacant title with a 10th-round stoppage of Aston Palicte of the Philippines in June. Ioka is also a former world Minimumweight and Light flyweight Champion. Cintron’s last contest came in August when he won a 10-round unanimous decision over Koki Eto in a rematch. The two met three months earlier with Eto being awarded a first-round TKO. However, the fight was called a no-decision when video replays showed Eto headbutted Cintron before dropping him.
The 30-year-old Ioka of Osaka carries a record of 22-2 with 14 Kos. He dropped a split decision to Donnie Nietes last New Year’s Eve in his first shot at the vacant WBO Super Flyweight Title and also lost a split decision to Amnat Ruenroeng in for the IBF Flyweight Title in 2014. Ioka won the vacant Japanese Light Flyweight Crown in his sixth pro fight and then won the WBC Minimumweight Belt in his next outing when he stopped Kittipong Jaigrajang in the fifth round.
He defended the belt three times and added the WBA Minimumweight Title in his third defense with a unanimous decision over Akira Yaegashi. Ioka then took the WBA Light Flyweight Crown on New Year’s Eve 2012 by stopping Jose Rodriguez in the sixth round. He defended it nine times including wins over Juan Carlos Reveco (twice), Roberto Domingo Sosa, Keyvin Lara and Nare Yianleang. Ioka moved up to super flyweight last September and captured the WBC Silver Title with a 10-round unanimous decision over McWilliams Arroyo.
Ioka stands 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 66.5-inch reach and is one of Japan’s top boxers but not as well known outside of Asia as fellow countrymen such as Ryota Murata and Naoya Inoue. He’s boxed 232 rounds since turning pro in 2009 and isn’t really a power puncher with a current knockout ratio of 54 per cent. He also owns a solid chin and is a world class boxer on all levels.
Cintron is a 24-year-old 11-0 with southpaw who enters the fight with a perfect record of 11-0 with 5 Kos. He’s not a hard hitter either with a current knockout ratio of 41.7 per cent. He made his pro debut in 2017 and has 60 rounds of experience under his belt. He enjoyed a fine amateur career and is the one and only Puerto Rican to box at two Olympic Games as he fought for his homeland in 2012 in London, England and again in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Boxing’s in Cintron’s blood as his father Javier competed as a pro from 1990 to 2008 going 14-11-2 with 10 Kos. Cintron is 5-feet-6-inches tall with an unlisted reach so is an inch taller than Ioka. He won the vacant WBO Youth Bantamweight Title in July, 2018 with an eight-round unanimous decision over Gregory Vera and then added the vacant WBO Latino Super Flyweight Crown in his next outing with a 10-round unanimous decision over Alonso Melendez. He also captured the vacant WBO International Super Flyweight Belt with his win over Eto in August.
Prediction…
Cintron’s a good young boxer with a solid chin and plenty of skills but he’s fought limited opposition up to now. He’s taking a big step up in class against Ioka and although I’m expecting him to put up a good fight I think he’ll fall short of taking Ioka’s title, especially in Japan.
