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Inoue vs. Ancajas: As he prepares to defend his WBA bantamweight title, Takuma Inoue has hailed Jerwin Ancajas as the toughest opponent he will ever face. The match is scheduled to take place at the Kokugikan Hall in Tokyo, Japan, marking Inoue's first title defense since winning the belt last year.
Inoue, the younger brother of the esteemed Naoya Inoue, clinched the WBA bantamweight title with a decisive victory over former unified super-flyweight champion Liborio Solis. However, his journey to the championship was marred by a loss to Nordine Oubaali in 2019 while vying for the WBC bantamweight title.
Despite the setback, Inoue remains resolute and focused on triumphing over Ancajas in their upcoming bout. In an interview with Spin, Inoue praised Ancajas, stating,
He is the best fighter I'll ever face, so I want to be focused. I want to fight until the end and I want to win the fight."
Ancajas, a former IBF super-flyweight champion, held the title for an impressive five and a half years before losing it to Fernando Daniel Martinez in February 2022. Despite suffering a defeat in their initial encounter, Ancajas made a strong comeback by defeating Wilner Soto in June 2023.
Inoue revealed his admiration for Ancajas, mentioning that he has closely followed Ancajas' matches and has even sparred with him in the past. However, Inoue acknowledged that there are aspects of Ancajas' fighting style that he is yet to fully grasp, and he is eager to test his skills against the seasoned fighter in the ring.
The upcoming showdown between Inoue and Ancajas is anticipated to be a thrilling clash between two highly skilled and determined fighters.