TOKYO, Japan — Takuma Inoue admitted Thursday that his first defense of the World Boxing Association bantamweight crown will be extra-tough given the caliber of the challenger he is set to face this Saturday at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena.
“He is the best fighter I will ever face,” Inoue said during a press conference held at the Tokyo Dome Hotel. To enhance his chances of retaining the 118-lb title, the once-beaten Inoue insists that he has to “be focused and fight until the end.”
Inoue knows fully well the challenge he is about to face given that Ancajas, who was world super-flyweight champion for six years from 2016 until 2022, is superbly skilled and packs dynamite on both hands.
To brace for what the Filipino southpaw is going to bring to the ring, Inoue said that he “analyzed Ancajas by watching several of his matches.”
Still, the 28-year-old from Kanazawa swears has not figured Ancajas out.
“There are still elements that I don’t know about him and it will only be known when I meet him in the ring,” Inoue, holder of an 18-1 record with four knockouts, said.
Although he has been WBA champion since April 2023, Inoue is only making the initial defense of the title.
They were supposed to slug it out last November but a rib injury forced promoters to postpone the fight.
Inoue recovered after a month and immediately plunged into training shortly thereafter.
One thing that could prove crucial during fight night will be the presence of his more accomplished brother Naoya in his corner.
But even if Naoya assists in the corner work, the outcome of the scheduled 12-rounder would all boil down to skill, power and drive, facets that appear to be on Ancajas’ side.
