Kazuto Ioka ordered to defend against mandatory challenger ...(again)
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Earlier today the WBO ordered their Super Flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka (26-2, 15) [井岡一翔] to begin negotiations with their mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez Jr (33-4-1, 24).
The WBO, who sent out and shared their email regarding the situation, states that the two teams are being given 30 days, starting June 1st 2021, to negotiate their fight. If that negotation period fails to secure a deal the teams will then go to purse bids.
If purse bids are required the minimum bid is $100,000 (USD).
Firstly we need to state we absolutely love this match up, and it was #2 in our "Five For... Kazuto Ioka" following his win over Kosei Tanaka at the end of 2020, however we do need to wonder what is going on at the WBO.
Ioka last TWO bouts were both mandatory defenses, against Jeyvier Cintron and Kosei Tanaka, meaning that Ioka may well be the first fighter to make 3 suessive mandatory defenses of a single title. A bit of and oddity. Especially given those 3 fights will have taken place in less than 2 years, whilst other divisions rarely have mandatory defenses, in fact the last WBO Heavyweight mandatory challenger was Alexander Povetkin, back in September 2018, and even then the WBO seemed to insert him ahead of Oleksendr Usk to tidy things up...whilst Usyk continues to wait.
Whilst that sounds like we are complaining, we'll again state we LOVE the idea of Ioka Vs Rodriguez, and would love it if the WBO started to force champions to face top ranked contenders more often, rather than allowing weak top 15 challengers left right and centre. This is a match that should get the juices of fans flowing, and should be regarded as a brilliant match up.it's just strange, and inconsistent on behlaf of the WBO, to make one champion make 3 successive mandatory defenses, whilst other seem capable of having multiple voluntary defenses.
If this is a new age of the WBO, where weak challengers won't be accepted, then this is a great day, but in reality, it seems likely to be an anomaly, and a rather odd one given they have Dilan Prasovic ranked at Cruiserweight and Joseph Agbeko is ranked #1 at Bantamweight. Guess it's fair to end this by stating the WBO are still as inconsistent as ever!
The WBO, who sent out and shared their email regarding the situation, states that the two teams are being given 30 days, starting June 1st 2021, to negotiate their fight. If that negotation period fails to secure a deal the teams will then go to purse bids.
If purse bids are required the minimum bid is $100,000 (USD).
Firstly we need to state we absolutely love this match up, and it was #2 in our "Five For... Kazuto Ioka" following his win over Kosei Tanaka at the end of 2020, however we do need to wonder what is going on at the WBO.
Ioka last TWO bouts were both mandatory defenses, against Jeyvier Cintron and Kosei Tanaka, meaning that Ioka may well be the first fighter to make 3 suessive mandatory defenses of a single title. A bit of and oddity. Especially given those 3 fights will have taken place in less than 2 years, whilst other divisions rarely have mandatory defenses, in fact the last WBO Heavyweight mandatory challenger was Alexander Povetkin, back in September 2018, and even then the WBO seemed to insert him ahead of Oleksendr Usk to tidy things up...whilst Usyk continues to wait.
Whilst that sounds like we are complaining, we'll again state we LOVE the idea of Ioka Vs Rodriguez, and would love it if the WBO started to force champions to face top ranked contenders more often, rather than allowing weak top 15 challengers left right and centre. This is a match that should get the juices of fans flowing, and should be regarded as a brilliant match up.it's just strange, and inconsistent on behlaf of the WBO, to make one champion make 3 successive mandatory defenses, whilst other seem capable of having multiple voluntary defenses.
If this is a new age of the WBO, where weak challengers won't be accepted, then this is a great day, but in reality, it seems likely to be an anomaly, and a rather odd one given they have Dilan Prasovic ranked at Cruiserweight and Joseph Agbeko is ranked #1 at Bantamweight. Guess it's fair to end this by stating the WBO are still as inconsistent as ever!