Seiya Tsutsumi Decisions Takuma Inoue For The Upset
In Tokyo, Japan, WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue battled mandatory challenger and countryman Seiya Tsutsumi. Entering the contest, most pundits regarded Inoue as one of the best in the division.
He won the then-vacant WBA crown with a unanimous Liborio Solis in April 2023. Inoue’s previous outing was an impressive decision win against Sho Ishida in May 2024.
Here, he faced Tsutsumi, a fighter with a well-earned reputation for being a big puncher. The mandatory challenger believed his vaunted power would be critical against the slick and fast Inoue.
THE EYE OF THE TIGER
Things seemed all good for the defending champion early as he used his speed to outbox the challenger. A right uppercut from Inoue (20-2, 5 KOs) stunned Tsutsumi with a minute to go in round two.
But starting in round four, Tsutsumi (12-0-2, 8 KOs) began to gain confidence. He increased his work rate and applied constant pressure. Fighting like a man possessed, he constantly threw punches in bunches during the middle rounds. Meanwhile, Inoue was losing his offensive rhythm. Usually, someone who likes to dart in and out with punches, the defending champion was instead forced to stand and trade as Tsutsumi gave him little room to breathe.
A controversial moment took place early in round ten when Tsutsumi was given credit with a knockdown. The challenger did land a left hook that forced the champion to fall into the ropes. However, it appeared that Inoue was not hurt. The toughness of both men was on full display as they fought valiantly until the final bell.
Tsutsumi’s efforts did not go in vain, as the judges ruled in his favor by a unanimous decision (114-113, 115-112, 117-110). This has to go down as one of the biggest surprises of 2024.
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