Fernando Martínez W12 Kazuto Ioka... The boxing commuity in Argentina has another reason to celebrate. Fernando “Puma” Martínez stormed into enemy territory and left with his the WBA 115-pound championship belt still around his waist. Martinez was knocked down but he managed to outlast Japan’s Kazuto Ioka in a grueling battle at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo. With the unanimous decision victory, Martínez further cemented his status as one of Latin America’s elite fighters. From the opening bell, Martínez made it clear he wasn’t in Japan just to put on a show — he came to win. He brought relentless pressure and sharp punching, while Ioka tried to neutralize the assault with his trademark technical precision. But the Argentine wouldn’t back off. His constant body work and forward march began to chip away at Ioka’s rhythm, slowly draining the energy from the former three-division champion.

The drama peaked in the tenth round when Ioka landed a clean left hook that sent Martínez crashing to the canvas. The Tokyo crowd erupted, sensing a momentum shift and a potential comeback. But true to his nickname, “Puma” bounced back on his feet with fire in his eyes, proving once again why he’s one of the toughest fighters in the division.

The championship rounds turned into a war of attrition. Ioka, fueled by the crowd, made a final push, but Martínez kept his composure. He continued to score with clean, accurate shots while avoiding falling into Ioka’s tactical traps. When the final bell rang, both warriors had left it all in the ring.

The judges were in agreement: 115-112, 117-110, and 114-113 — all in favor of Martínez.

Martinez is listed at 18-0 but Boxingtalk considers the WBC's World Series of Boxing to be prefiessional fights, so 27-6 is what this site considers to be the most accurate record for Martinez. In any event, this win was a clear statement that Martinez now stands with WBC champion Jesse "Bam Rodriguez" as the super flyweight elite boxers.

“It was a brutal fight, but I came to Japan with one goal — to prove I’m the best in this division,” Martínez said in the post-fight interview. “Ioka is a great champion, but tonight belonged to me.”
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