Seven title fights are coming to Japan in a two-day span.
The opening leg will see Takuma Inoue in the first defense of his WBA bantamweight title. He will face countryman Seiya Tsutsumi atop an Oct. 13 title fight quadrupleheader from Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The will air live on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Inoue-Tsutsumi and the rest of the show were confirmed during a press conference Thursday in Tokyo, presented by Mr. Honda’s Teiken Promotions. The evening’s co-feature pits former champs Kenshiro Teraji and Cristofer Rosales in a vacant WBC flyweight title fight. The winner claims the belt recently vacated by Julio Cesar Martinez, though under dubious circumstances.
Also on the show:
Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs) attempts the third defense of the WBA 118-pound title he claimed last April. He was the first benefactor following the divisional departure of older brother and now four-division champion Naoya Inoue, who vacated all four bantamweight titles.
Takuma Inoue has slowly carved out his own name. The Ring’s No. 3-rated bantamweight impressed in a ninth-round knockout of former 115-pound titlist Jerwin Ancajas on Feb. 24 at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. He then returned just ten weeks later to join Naoya on the May 6 show at Tokyo Dome. His appearance resulted in a twelve-round win over countryman Sho Ishida.
Tsutsumi (11-0-2, 8 KOs) challenges for his first major title. It comes in the midst of a remarkable career rebound following in-ring tragedy.
While his record is perfect, Tsutsumi was forced to take in the damage inflicted upon Kazuki Anaguchi. Their brutal ten-round slugfest last Dec. 26 was won by Tsutsumi via unanimous decision. Anaguchi never recovered from brain injuries sustained in the bout and passed away in February.
Tsutsumi bravely moved forward with his career. He scored a fourth-round knockout of Weerawat Noolae on July 7 at Kokugikan.
Teraji (23-1, 14 knockouts) enjoyed two separate WBC 108-pound title reigns. The 32-year-old from Kyoto, Japan became The Ring and unified WBC/WBA champ in Nov. 2022 after a seventh-round knockout of unbeaten countryman Hiroto Kyoguchi.
The win marked the first defense of his second title reign after he regained the belt earlier that year. Teraji suffered an eleventh-round knockout to Masamichi Yabuki in their terrific Sept. 2021 slugfest. The fight was delayed by two weeks when Teraji previously tested positive for Covid.
A much healthier version of the all-action fighter routed Yabuki inside of three rounds in their March 2022 rematch. Three defenses have followed, including a narrow points win over Carlos Canizales (26-2-1, 19 KOs) on January 23 in Osaka. Their 12-round battle remains a contender for 2023 Fight of the Year.
The past several fights for Teraji have all come with struggles to make weight. He has yet to miss the 108-pound mark but has frequently noted he would only remain put if he were able to further unify.
His final defense came in a Fight of the Year-level majority decision win over Carlos Canizales (27-2-1, 19 KOs) on Jan. 23 in Osaka. Teraji ran his record ro 14-1 (9 KOs) in major title fights.
Nicaragua’s Rosales (36-7, 22 KOs) previously held the very title at stake in his bout.
He claimed the title in Japan, when he defeated Daigo Higa in April 2018. Just one defense followed before he lost to Charlie Edwards later that December. A second title bid saw Rosales suffer a ninth-round knockout to Julio Cesar Martinez in Dec. 2019.
Martinez made seven successful defenses before he vacated earlier this year. However, it was subsequently learned that he tested positive for banned diuretics and was suspended through the rest of 2024.
Rosales has won five straight since a questionable defeat to Angel Ayala in their April 2022 IBF title eliminator.
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The post T. Inoue-Tsutsumi, Kenshiro-Rosales Anchor Oct. 13 Title Fight Quadrupleheader appeared first on The Ring.
