This content is protected I can't believe: a) it's been a decade. b) one guy is still on top in the sport. c) they never rematched. Akira did still have a respectable WBC flyweight title reign ahead of him during the brief remainder of his prime, but nothing quite like the prestige deflowering Ioka would have garnered him (either getting the nod on that June day in 2012, or potentially in a return engagement). I'm quite a big Kazuto fan as well but he definitely was the cat that ate the canary here...and we the fans deserved at least another twelve rounds of this rivalry as well. Original RBR: https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/kazuto-ioka-vs-akira-yaegashi-rbr.411146/
I scored it a draw, but it's closer by far to a Yaegashi win than an Ioka win. It's the only IIoka title fight I've seen that I don't think Ioka won
Same. I think Yaegashi would have been in with a fair chance at revenge anytime until about 2016ish, at either a hundred and eight or a hundred and twelve pounds. He ran hot and cold (ie the Guevara upset) but mostly hot during that period, and Ioka wasn't exactly invincible with that loss to Ruenroeng (controversial yes, but it was an undeniably close matchup any way you slice it and could, not unreasonably, be nudged in either direction). Once he was shot to bits and getting brutalized by guys with the initials M.M. on a regular basis, though, forget it.
Eleven year anniversary was Tuesday. Ioka put another feather in his cap just hours ago; his third career rematch and third dominant improvement over an initial performance in a second try. As time goes on, as much of a Sonic Fist stan as I am, I like his chances in a hypothetical Ioka vs. Yaegashi II less and less.
