Takuma Inoue, better known as the brother of ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue and who could have well earned the nickname ‘Surprise Package’ Inoue, decided that merely keeping his WBA bantamweight title wasn’t enough. He aimed to make it an unforgettable night. And indeed, he did, delivering a brutal knockout so sudden it likely left the audience wondering if they had blinked into the future.
There he was, Takuma, with a record that whispers rather than shouts, at 19-1 with just 5 KOs, facing off against Jerwin Ancajas, a man with a reputation for turning lights out across the junior bantam division. The stage was set in Tokyo, and it seemed like just another Saturday night until Takuma decided to rewrite the script entirely.
From the opening bell, it was clear Takuma was on a mission, showcasing speed that would make a hummingbird envious and reflexes so sharp they could slice through the tension in the arena. The crowd, there for a boxing brawl, found themselves at an impromptu magic show, with Takuma playing the role of the elusive magician, making Ancajas’ punches disappear into thin air.
As the rounds ticked by, Takuma started delivering a masterclass in the art of hit and not get hit. Ancajas, a seasoned warrior, tried to keep up, but it was like trying to nail jelly to the wall.
Then came the ninth round, not even a full minute in, and Takuma, perhaps tired of the formalities, decided to drop the curtain with a brutal right uppercut so beautifully timed it would’ve made Father Time himself stand up and applaud. Ancajas, caught in the spell, took a knee as if proposing to the canvas, unable to beat the count, leaving the ref with no choice but to declare Takuma the winner by knockout.
As the arena erupted, in leaped Naoya, also known as the actual “Monster” Inoue, to celebrate what was less of a fight and more of a statement. If anyone had doubted which Inoue brother’s fights to watch, Takuma just made a compelling case, wrapping up the evening with a knockout that wasn’t just a win, but a mic drop moment.
Other fights: Junto Nakatani didn’t hang about either, dispatching Alexandro Santiago with a vicious TKO in the 6th, clocking in at 1:12, to claim the WBC bantamweight crown. Kosei Tanaka showed off his skills over 12 rounds, securing a unanimous decision against Christian Bacasegua Rangel with scores of 119-108, 117-111, and 116-111, and walked away with the WBO super flyweight title. Riku Masuda made quick work of Jonas Sultan, delivering a knockout blow 2 minutes and 21 seconds into the first round in their bantamweight clash.
