Japanese champ Ioka tests positive for marijuana–report

Kazuto Ioka of Japan celebrates his victory over Jeyvier Cintron of Puerto Rico after their WBO super flyweight title boxing match at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on December 31, 2019. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese boxing champion Kazuto Ioka is in hot water after testing positive for marijuana, the Mainichi Shimbun, a major newspaper in Japan, reported.

The result came off Ioka’s drug test following his eighth-round stoppage of compatriot Kosei Tanaka last December at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.

According to Japanese media, Ioka’s lawyer Masanao Hattori said the reigning WBO super flyweight champion has shown his full cooperation with the investigation being conducted by the National Police Agency and the Japanese Boxing Commission (JBC).

In a statement from his lawyer, Ioka “strongly denies he has ever used” any form of cannabis, which could be attributed to the boxer’s use of CBD oil.

It remains to be seen if Ioka will be sanctioned by the JBC with the matter still under review.

In a report on boxingscene.com, Ioka’s camp believes he is “cleared of any wrongdoing.”

The 32-year-old Ioka is no stranger to facing Filipino fighters in world title fights.

As a challenger, he lost to four-division champion Donnie Nietes via split decision for the WBO super flyweight crown.

After Nietes relinquished the belt, Ioka was then pitted against another Filipino in Aston Palicte, whom he stopped in the 10th round to claim the vacant title.