Keyvin Lara’s Title Challenges Took Him From Osaka to Costa
Keyvin Lara challenged Kazuto Ioka for the WBA flyweight championship in Osaka, Japan, on July 20, 2016. The Nicaraguan contender was stopped in the eleventh round after a fast start against the experienced champion.
Career highlights
Lara, from Chinandega, pressed the pace early at the EDION Arena. Ioka responded with counters to the head and body, then increased his pressure as the challenger slowed during the middle rounds.
Ioka dropped Lara in the tenth round and again in the eleventh. The knockout came at 1:11 of round eleven, with the champion ahead on all three scorecards.
Later super flyweight opportunities
Lara later competed for the WBA Fedelatin super flyweight title against Keiver Fernández in Panama in June 2021, losing a split decision. In March 2025, he challenged David “Medallita” Jiménez for the WBA interim super flyweight championship in Cartago, Costa Rica. Jiménez retained the belt by unanimous decision over twelve rounds.
Against Jiménez, Lara again opened aggressively and found opportunities during the middle rounds, answering the champion’s counters with clean punches of his own. The judges ultimately favored Jiménez by 120–108, 119–109 and 116–112. The decision left Lara with thirty-two wins, seven defeats and one draw. Although he completed the distance, the Costa Rican’s more consistent control prevented another championship breakthrough.
Sources
- World Boxing Association: Ioka–Lara date, venue and knockout report
- World Boxing Association: Fernández–Lara regional title result
- World Boxing Association: Jiménez–Lara interim championship result
