Franco-Ioka unify at year end – World Boxing Association

The last fight of the year will take place at the Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan, and will have World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight champion Joshua Franco facing WBO monarch Kazuto Ioka in a unification fight.

Franco will be making his comeback fight after an absence of more than a year. He is coming off a trilogy against Australian Andrew Moloney in which he won two fights and one was a no decision. Now, as the only 115 lbs. champion, he will be looking to make a new defense of the crown and it will be as a visitor. 

Ioka is one of the best in the division and a thousand battles veteran. The home fighter is a two-category champion and has not lost a fight since 2018 when he lost to Donnie Nietes. It will be the sixth time he defends his crown and intends to keep it in his possession, in addition to adding the black and gold to his collection. 

It will be a great fight to close the year and will leave a unified champion for the start of 2023. Franco has a record of 18 wins, 1 loss, 2 draws and 8 knockouts, while Ioka has a record of 29 wins, 2 losses and 15 defeats before the limit.