Japanese world champion Takuma Inoue will defend his WBA bantamweight crown against Filipino former world champion Jerwin Ancajas on Wednesday, November 15, at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue, the younger brother of pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue, looks to make the first defense of his strap, while Ancajas aims to secure a world title in a second weight class.
In the world championship co-feature, Artem Dalakian puts his WBA flyweight world title on the line against Japanese contender Seigo Yuri Akui.
Inoue-Ancajas, Dalakian-Akui, and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. in the early morning hours on ESPN+.
Inoue (18-1, 4 KOs) is a nine-year pro who compiled a 13-0 record before challenging Nordine Oubaali for the WBC bantamweight world title in November 2019. Inoue was dropped early in the fight, but showed resilience down the stretch. He has not lost a fight since then. In April, the 27-year-old captured the vacant WBA crown with a decision win against former junior bantamweight world champion Liborio Solis.
Ancajas (34-3-2, 23 KOs) is a 31-year-old southpaw who captured the IBF junior bantamweight world title against McJoee Arroyo in September 2016. He made nine successful defenses, including stoppage wins over Jamie Conlan and Israel Gonzalez. He lost the belt via decision to Fernando Daniel Martinez in February 2022 and was bested in their rematch later that year. He returned in June with a fifth-round TKO against Wilner Soto.
Dalakian (22-0, 15 KOs) is a 12-year pro who captured the WBA flyweight world title with a unanimous decision win against Brian Viloria in February 2018. He has defended his title six times, including a decision win over David Jimenez in January. Akui (18-2-1, 11 KOs), winner of six straight, is making his first attempt at a world title.
In other streaming action from Tokyo:
Yuki Yonaha (13-5-1, 8 KOs) returns in an eight-round junior featherweight fight against Juiki Tatsuyoshi (14-0-1, 10 KOs). Yonaha will make his third appearance of 2023, following a unanimous decision loss to former multi-division kickboxing world champion Tenshin Nasukawa in April and a split decision win over Karoon Jarupianlerd in August. Tatsuyoshi looks to remain unbeaten after a fifth-round TKO against Taketo Yamahara in August.
Bantamweight prospect Riko Masuda (3-1, 3 KOs) will lock horns against Filipino former world title challenger Jonas Sultan (19-6, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Masuda looks to bounce back from his first pro loss, while Sultan is coming off a decision win over Frank Gonzalez last month.