Light flyweight Kazuto Ioka will defend his WBA crown for the second time on Sept. 11 in Osaka, his gym announced Friday.
His opponent will be Thailand's Kwanthai Sithmorseng, who is ranked fifth in the division by the WBA. The fight will be part of a world championship doubleheader, with Ryo Miyazaki defending his WBA minimumweight title against interim champ Jesus Silvestre of Mexico. It will be Miyazaki's second title defense as well.
Ioka, who vacated the WBA minimumweight crown last September, captured his light flyweight crown on New Year's Eve. The 11 fights it took him to become champion in two weight classes was the fewest ever needed by a Japanese fighter.
Ioka told a news conference his goal is domination.
"I want to demonstrate the difference in our true abilities," Ioka said. "I want a fight in which I make my opponent helpless."
"I have set my sights on winning a third weight class. All that is required is to build the ultimate body and execute the ultimate fight."