BN Fight Stats: Takuma Inoue halts Jerwin Ancajas in round nine to successfully defend his WBA bantamweight belt

THE RESULT: WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue completed a aggressive and entertaining combat in Tokyo by sinking a proper uppercut into Jerwin Ancajas’ physique midway via round nine. Unable to rise, Ancajas, from the Philippines, was then stopped on the one minute and 44 seconds mark of the round, ensuing in a profitable first defence on house soil for a jubilant Inoue.

KEY MOMENTS: Long earlier than the finisher in round nine, there was an Inoue proper hand in the third which appeared to buckle the legs of Ancajas and symbolize the primary actual turning level in the combat. In the very subsequent round, nonetheless, Ancajas appeared to have returned the favour by hurting Inoue to the physique with a number of well-placed left palms thrown from the southpaw stance. That round in explicit was an excellent one for Ancajas and a reminder to Inoue that he can be higher served staying away and utilising his pace and motion. Then once more, by the tip of that thrilling and frantic fourth round Inoue may be seen smiling; seemingly relishing that sort of two-way battle.

RECORDS: Inoue, 28, strikes to 19-1 (5), whereas Ancajas, 32, drops to 34-4-2 (23).

TALKING POINT: As unfair because it maybe is to evaluate him to his brother, it’s exhausting not to when seeing Takuma Inoue in the ring. After all, in addition to sharing a imprecise facial resemblance, additionally they take up comparable positions and stances and have a want to each entertain the followers and inflict harm on their opponent. That Takuma has to work tougher to obtain the latter says extra about Naoya’s freakish punch energy than any limitations in Takuma’s recreation. However, it’s noticeable when watching them each combat simply how rather more troublesome it’s finishing up the “Inoue style” when freakish punch energy is faraway from the equation. In the case of Takuma, extra motion is required and fewer probabilities will be taken when lingering on the within. He can be much less probably to deter and due to this fact have the option to management an opponent the way in which his brother can, so blessed is Naoya by explosive energy few need to style, a lot much less expertise for 12 rounds.

Regardless, tonight was Takuma’s evening. It was his evening to make his first world title defence and it was his evening to present the world that he can also finish a combat with one punch.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: It’s protected to say that at bantamweight there are many fights for Inoue to goal and relish. For occasion, fights with different belt-holders like Jason Moloney (WBO) and Emmanuel Rodriguez (IBF) would make lots sense, as would a combat towards Junto Nakatani, who has not solely now moved to bantamweight however dazzled earlier on the identical present, stopping Alexandro Santiago in nine rounds to safe the WBC title.