NAGOYA, JAPAN - Satoshi Iida successfully defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) junior bantamweight title when he pounded out a 2-0 decision victory over fellow Japanese Hiroki Ioka on Wednesday. American judge Armando Garcia scored it 116-111 and Fernando Viso of Venezuela counted it 115-113 both in favour of the defending champion, while Masakazu Uchida of Japan had it 114-114. It was the worst match I've ever fought, said Iida. I'm really ashamed of not fighting my best match.

I'll start training from the first step and fight a good match to defend the title once more. Ioka was really high spirited, he was concentrating very well. I was really lucky that I could win today, Iida said. Iida started to get into his rythm in the third round with a series of straight lefts to the face. But he suffered a major setback when he cut his right eyelid in the fifth round during an accidental head clash which cost Ioka a penalty and slowed down letting his opponent dictate the pace.

Iida picked up again to take the seventh through 10th rounds, staggering Ioka in the eighth round with a hook to the chin, and holding onto his lead over the former WBA junior flyweight champion. It was Iida's first defence of the title he wrested from Yokthai Sith Oar of Thailand in December last year. Iida, 28, stretched his record to 24 wins, including 11 kos against one defeat and a draw.

Ioka, also the former world boxing council strawweight champion until november 1988, saw his record reduced to 32 wins, including 17 Kos, against seven defeats and a draw. He is expected to retire after his 13th world title match. (AFP)