Takuma Inoue vs Kazuto Ioka Preview May 2nd, 2026
WBC Bantamweight Champion Takuma Inoue will battle it out with fellow countryman and former four-weight world champion Kazuta Ioka this Saturday May 2nd. Inoue, a former WBA Bantamweight Beltholder, beat Tenshin Nasukawa by unanimous decision for the vacant WBC version in November. Inoue lost his WBA belt in his third defence when he dropped a unanimous decision to Seiya Tsutsumi in October, 2024. Ioka last fought on New Year’s Eve when he halted Maikel Ordosgoitti in the fourth round and is hoping to become the first Japanese boxer to win world titles in five different weight divisions. In his previous bout in May, Ioka dropped a unanimous decision to Fernando Daniel Martinez of Argentina in a rematch for the WBA Super Flyweight Belt after losing to him via a controversial decision the previous July. When they first met, Ioka was the WBA champion and Martinez was the IBF Beltholder. Ioka originally captured the WBA Belt by beating Joshua Franco via unanimous decision in their rematch in June, 2023 after battling to a controversial draw to retain his WBO Belt in December, 2022. Ioka took Franco’s WBA title in the rematch as he was the only one eligible to win it as Franco came in overweight and the belt was vacant. Ioka gave up the WBO Title shortly after the first Franco fight as he felt a rematch was in order while the WBO wanted him to move on and fight fellow countryman Junto Nakatani. Saturday’s fight from Tokyo can be seen live in on DAZN in most nations on the undercard of the Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani fight. Fans in Japan can see it on Lemino and it’s reportedly on ESPN Knockout in Latin America. The card begins at 5:40 am ET.
Inoue vs Ioka Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Kazuto Ioka +175
- Takuma Inoue –225
My Pick
The 30-year-old Inoue is the younger brother of Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue and owns a mark of 21-2 with 5 Ko’s and has 215 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2013 following an amateur career. He stands just over 5-feet-4-inches tall with a 64.5-inch reach but possesses just a small fraction of his brother’s power though as only 23.8 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he’s halted just two of his last 12 opponents. Inoue has never fought a pro with a losing record and beat Mark Anthony Geraldo by unanimous decision in 2015 for the vacant OPBF Super Flyweight Title.
He defended that belt twice before moving up in weight and captured the WBC interim World Bantamweight Title in 2018 by beating Tasala Salapat by unanimous decision. Inoue’s first defeat came by unanimous decision to Nordine Oubaali in a shot at the WBC Bantamweight Title in November, 2019 on the undercard of the first Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire fight. He’s also captured the Japanese and WBO Asia Pacific Super Bantamweight Crowns as a pro.
Inoue won the vacant WBA Bantamweight Title in 2023 by beating Liborio Solis by unanimous decision. He stopped former IBF Jr. Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas in the ninth round with a body shot in his first defence and then beat Sho Ishida by unanimous decision in his second defence. Inoue also has wins over Jake Bornea, Shingo Wake, Petch CP Freshmart, Froilan Saludar and Mark Anthony Geraldo.
The 37-year-old Ioka of Osaka carries a record of 32-4-1 with 16 Ko’s. He dropped a split decision to Donnie Nietes on New Year’s Eve in 2018 in his first shot at the vacant WBO Super Flyweight Title and lost a split decision to Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF Flyweight Title in 2014 for first two career losses. His other defeats were the pair of bouts to Fernando Martinez. Ioka won the vacant Japanese Light Flyweight Crown in his sixth pro fight and then captured the WBC Minimumweight Belt in his next outing when he stopped Kittipong Jaigrajang in the fifth round.
Ioka defended the Japanese Flyweight Belt three times and added the WBA Minimumweight Title in his third defense with a unanimous decision over Akira Yaegashi. He then took the WBA Light Flyweight Crown on New Year’s Eve 2012 by stopping Jose Rodriguez in the sixth round. He defended it nine times including wins over Juan Carlos Reveco (twice), Roberto Domingo Sosa, Keyvin Lara and Nare Yianleang. Ioka moved up to super flyweight in 2018 and captured the WBC Silver Title with a 10-round unanimous decision over McWilliams Arroyo.
Ioka won the vacant WBO Super Flyweight Title with a 10th-round stoppage of Aston Palicte of the Philippines in 2019. This gave him a world title in four different weight classes at minimumweight, light flyweight, flyweight and super flyweight to become the first Japanese boxer to achieve the feat. He defended the Super Flyweight Title against Jeyvier Cintron by unanimous decision in 2019 and stopped fellow countryman Kosei Tanaka in the eighth round in 2020 before beating Francisco Rodriguez, Ryoji Fukunaga and Nietes by unanimous decisions and then drawing and wining against Joshua Franco.
Ioka measures is the same height as Inoue at just over 5-feet-4-inches tall and also has the same reach at 64.5-inches. He’s one of Japan’s top boxers but isn’t as well known outside of Asia as fellow countrymen such as Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatini. He’s boxed 347 rounds since turning pro in 2009 and isn’t really a power puncher as 53.1 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he has gone the distance in eight of his last 11 outings. Ioka possesses a solid chin and is a world class boxer on all levels. He won six national high school amateur titles and reportedly went 95-10 before turning pro.
Prediction…
This another 50-50 fight between two fine Japanese boxers. Ioka has the edge in power and experience but is now 37 years old. Inoue has looked quite impressive lately especially in his win over Tenshin Nasukawa. However he doesn’t want to go toe-to-toe and slug it out with Ioka. He’ll need to use foot movement, strike and then get out of range from Ioka’s return fire. Inoue doesn’t have the power to stop Ioka so he’s going to have to outbox him and outland him. This is an even matchup with any outcome being realistic but Inoue may have the slight edge if he uses his speed and footwork.
Inoue can’t afford to stand still.
Play: Inoue -225 @ BetOnline.ag
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Kazuto Ioka betting • Takuma Inoue betting