The WBA appears to be back in the mandatory business.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that reigning junior bantamweight titlist Kazuto Ioka was ordered to next defend his title versus number-one ranked contender John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez. The two sides were instructed on Friday to enter negotiations to reach terms within the next 30 days to avoid a purse bid hearing.
“Please consider this communication as a notification for mandatory negotiations for the WBA Super Flyweight division,” WBA Championship Committee chairman Carlos Chavez informed both parties in an official notice obtained by Boxing Scene. “Since [Ioka] won the title on June 24, 2023, the next obligatory championship bout is past due from October 23, 2023, and shall box against the official contender John Ramirez.”
“Pursuant to WBA rule C.13-Bout Limitations, the champion may not fight a boxer who is not the official challenger within sixty (60) days of the expiration of the mandatory defense period. Based on the above-mentioned facts, we hereby order a thirty (30) days mandatory negotiations period beginning on January 12, [2024] and finishing at the end of the business day (- 5 GMT) on February 12, [2024].”
Ioka is represented in talks by Shisei Promotions and TLAROCK Entertainment, while Ramirez is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
Japan’s Ioka (31-2-1, 16KOs)—a four-division titlist—most recently defended his WBA title in a seventh-round knockout of Venezuela’s Josber Perez last New Year’s Eve at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
The venue has hosted his last eight bouts, all in 115-pound title fights—six as the WBO titleholder before he was forced to vacate. His last two came in a WBA-title winning effort over Joshua Franco in their June 24 rematch and the aforementioned title defense versus Perez.
The New Year’s Eve headliner—the 12th of his career dating back to 2011 when he launched the year-end boxing tradition—marked his lone shot at a voluntary title defense. Ioka hoped to face lineal/WBC champion Juan Francisco Estrada on that date, but their previously productive talks ultimately collapsed over financial demands.
Ioka—a 34-year-old Osaka native now based in Tokyo—now must commit to the ordered title fight to avoid being stripped of a second belt at the weight.
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 for a cruiserweight title in March.
If the teams for Ioka and Ramirez cannot reach a deal, the WBA will send the matter to a purse bid hearing. Ioka will be afforded the greater end of a 75/25 split on the winning bid as the defending titlist.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox