Say one factor for the IBF: they’re fairly constant about how they deal with unification rematches. ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez experiences that they’ve stripped tremendous flyweight champion Fernando Martinez of his title forward of a deliberate New Yr’s Eve rematch with Kazuto Ioka, which has but to be formally introduced.
“Pumita” Martinez (17-0, 9 KO) is admittedly overdue for a compulsory protection, having overwhelmed prime contender Jade Bornea in June of final yr. The IBF gave him a little bit of slack to overpower Ioka in July to say the WBA belt, however the time got here to pay the piper and Martinez went the extra attention-grabbing route as a substitute.
His present prime challenger, Willibaldo Garcia (22-5-1, 13 KO), will reportedly face Rene Calixto (23-0, 9 KO) for the vacant belt in Japan this December. Looks like an odd place to host an all-Mexican title struggle, however Calixto has twice fought on Japanese soil and is promoted by the Kamedas. I’m guessing it’ll be part of Ryosuke Nishida’s IBF bantamweight title protection on the fifteenth.
Turning into undisputed at 115 appears to only be straight-up inconceivable. Hopefully we’ll get the best matchmaking to make it occur earlier than “Bam” Rodriguez strikes on.
