TOKYO, Japan—Jerwin Ancajas suffered a ninth-round knockout at the hands of Japanese champion Takuma Inoue in their WBA bantamweight title clash Saturday at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena.
A right to Ancajas’s ribcage—thrown during an exchange at the ring center—sent the Filipino southpaw for the count.
American referee Mark Nelson embraced Ancajas after reaching the count of ten.
The win was Inoue’s first defense of the title while the loss by Ancajas could mean an end to a decorated career.