Japan Boxing Ioka Rodriguez
Kazuto Ioka of Japan walks towards a neutral corner after knocking down Jose Rodriguez of Mexico in the first round of their scheduled 12-round WBA l...
Kazuto Ioka of Japan walks towards a neutral corner after knocking down Jose Rodriguez of Mexico in the first round of their scheduled 12-round WBA light flyweight boxing title bout at Bodymaker Colosseum Osaka, Japan, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. Ioka defeated Rodriguez with a technical knockout in the sixth round to become new champion. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND FRANCE
Japan Boxing Ioka Rodriguez
Kazuto Ioka of Japan, right, punches Jose Rodriguez of Mexico in the sixth round of their scheduled 12-round WBA light flyweight boxing title bout at...
Kazuto Ioka of Japan, right, punches Jose Rodriguez of Mexico in the sixth round of their scheduled 12-round WBA light flyweight boxing title bout at Bodymaker Colosseum Osaka, Japan, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. Ioka defeated Rodriguez with a technical knockout in the sixth round to become new champion. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND FRANCE
Kazuto Ioka of Japan won the vacant WBA light flyweight title on Saturday with a sixth-round technical knockout of Mexico's Jose Rodriguez.
Ioka dominated from the outset and sent Rodriguez to the canvas twice before the bout was stopped after 2 minutes, 50 seconds of the sixth round. The 23-year-old Ioka, who is also the WBC strawweight champion, improved his unbeaten record to 11 wins, including seven KOs.
Rodriguez, also 23, has 28 wins, including 17 KOs and two defeats.
In the undercard, Ryo Miyazaki of Japan won a split decision over Thailand's Pornsawan Porpramook to win the vacant WBA minimumweight title.
Two judges scored the bout 116-111 and 116-112 in favor of Miyazaki while a third had it 113-114 for the former Thai champ.
