Takuma Inoue vs Jerwin Ancajas on November 15 in Japan
3kingsboxing.com has learned that Takuma Inoue (18-1, 4KOs) will make the first defense of the WBA bantamweight title against former IBF junior bantamweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (34-2-3, 23 KOs). The match will occur on November 15 in Inoue’s home country of Japan, at a venue to be determined.
Inoue is the younger brother of the current unified junior featherweight champion, Naoya Inoue. Takuma captured the then-vacant WBA strap on April 8, scoring a twelve-round, unanimous decision victory over Liborio Solis.
Ancajas has been a prominent fixture in the lower-weight divisions. After a five-year reign as a world champion at 115, he lost the IBF 115-pound title in February 2022 to Fernando Martinez by unanimous decision. They engaged in a rematch in October 2022, with Ancajas again losing by unanimous decision. The last bout for Ancajas was a fifth-round stoppage over Wilner Soto in June 2023.
A SOLID MATCHUP
Ancajas is Inoue’s most accomplished opponent to date. At his best, the former junior bantamweight champion is an excellent offensive fighter. Ancajas has a good jab, throws good combinations, and has power in both hands. The move up to 118 should benefit the man from the Philippines, who struggled to make weight in his last few defenses at 115. But at age 31, is Ancajas a fighter on the decline?
If so, he will get exposed by Inoue. The defending champion lacks the punching power of his older brother. But he makes up for it with his quickness and excellent footwork and technique. His overall speed could pose plenty of problems for Ancajas.
While the venue for this upcoming fight was not announced as of this writing, word on the street is that Inoue-Ancajas is likely to take place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
