Inoue Could Fight Reyes Or Medina Next Year
It was rinse and repeat for Takuma Inoue (22-3, 5 KOs), who successfully defended the WBC bantamweight title by unanimous decision over Tenshin Nasukawa (8-2, 3 KOs) in their rematch. Following another win over Nasukawa, Inoue has his sights set on becoming a unified champion in 2027.
Having previously lost to Inoue in November 2025, Nasukawa was hoping for a reversal of fortune. However, the defending champion used his superior speed and boxing guile to build an early points lead and control the first half of the fight.
Nasukawa came out aggressively in the opening minute of the seventh round and dropped the champion with a left hand to the chin. Inoue, however, avoided further serious trouble and regrouped.
Rather than allowing the knockdown to change the complexion of the fight, Inoue turned up the pressure and dominated the action from the eighth round to the final bell.
Nasukawa performed better in the rematch. So did Inoue, who demonstrated an ability to make the necessary adjustments and secure a decisive victory.
A UNIFICATION TARGET FOR 2027
Moving forward, Inoue’s goal is to face and defeat one of the other bantamweight titleholders in 2027.
WBA champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez appears to be out of the picture for now, as Rodriguez is pursuing a showdown with Takuma’s brother, undisputed 122-pound champion Naoya Inoue.
That leaves IBF champion Jose Reyes and WBO titleholder Christian Medina as potential opponents for Takuma.
With another successful title defense behind him, Inoue now has an opportunity to pursue a unification that could further establish his standing in the bantamweight division.
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