The newly-crowned WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue has his first title defense date set for Wednesday, November 15 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, where he faces Jerwin Ancajas. The scheduled for 12 rounds bout pits the representative of the country-host against former world champion of the Philippines.
In the co-main event, Kiev, Ukraine-based long-reigning WBA flyweight champion Artem Dalakian makes the seventh defense of his title against Japanese contender Seigo Yuri Akui. The championship bout is also scheduled for 12 rounds.
Inoue (18-1, 4 KOs) earned the belt by unanimous decision against Liborio Solis in April. With the victory, the 27-year-old became world champion on his second attempt. In November 2019, Zama, Kanagawa native dropped a UD against Nordine Oubaali in his bid to land the WBC bantamweight title.
31-year-old southpaw Ancajas (34-3-2, 23 KOs) won his previous bout in June via fifth-round TKO against Wilner Soto. In February 2022, former IBF flyweight champion of Panabo City, Philippines lost his belt by unanimous decision against Fernando Daniel Martinez and similarly failed to reclaim the title last October in the rematch.
Baku, Azerbaijan-born 36-year-old Dalakian (22-0, 15 KOs) is coming off the win by unanimous decision against David Jimenez in January, which marked the sixth successful defense of his title. Akui 18-2-1, 11 KOs) of Kurashiki, Okayama makes his first attempt to become champion, following the win by unanimous decision against Jayson Vayson in February.
The event airs live on ESPN+ in the United States. International broadcast, including Australia, is yet to be confirmed.
Among the Inoue vs Ancajas undercard bouts, Yuki Yonaha (13-5-1, 8 KOs) of Nanjo, Okinawa clashes with his Japanese-fellow Juiki Tatsuyoshi (14-0-1, 10 KOs) of Moriguchi, Osaka. The pair squares off in an eight-round contest at junior featherweight.
Plus, Riku Masuda (3-1, 3 KOs) of Hiroshima, Japan takes on Jonas Sultan (19-6, 11 KOs) of Cebu City, Philippines. The pair goes head to head in an eight-rounder at bantamweight.
Inoue vs Ancajas fight card
The current Inoue vs Ancajas fight card looks as the following:
- Takuma Inoue vs. Jerwin Ancajas, 12 rounds, bantamweight – Inoue’s WBA bantamweight title
- Artem Dalakian vs. Seigo Yuri Akui, 12 rounds, flyweight – Dalakian’s WBA flyweight title
- Yuki Yonaha vs. Juiki Tatsuyoshi, 8 rounds, junior featherweight
- Riku Masuda vs. Jonas Sultan, 8 rounds, bantamweight
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