In a battle that tested both fighters’ limits, Takuma Inoue delivered a stunning upset against Jerwin Ancajas today in Japan. The first few rounds had us all thinking, “Okay, Inoue’s doing his thing, keeping it classy with those counters,” but Ancajas was like, “Hold my gloves,” lunging in with lefts that had more flair than a Broadway show.
Inoue’s playing it cool, measuring the distance, landing a cheeky counter here and there. But then, out of nowhere, Jerwin decides he’s had enough of this tiptoeing around and crashes in with some lefts that definitely got the crowd’s attention more than Inoue’s tap dance. Ancajas turns into a human whirlwind in round two, making Inoue look like he’s trying to swat flies in comparison.
Fast forward, and it’s round three with Ancajas slightly edging out, probably because he actually looks like he wants to fight. Come round five, and it’s anyone’s game. Inoue’s suddenly got Ancajas figured out, dodging body blows like he’s in the Matrix and landing some counters that must’ve felt good. Miraculously, we’re at a draw after six rounds.
But oh, round seven, Jerwin’s like a man possessed, just marching forward, probably thinking Inoue’s midsection is a drum needing a good beating. Inoue’s starting to look like he wishes he’d stayed in bed.
Just when you thought it was all going according to the script, round nine flips the script, burns it, and dances on its ashes. Takuma Inoue, channeling his inner action hero, delivers a BRUTAL body shot that sends Ancajas to dreamland, proving once and for all that he’s not just a counter-puncher but a knockout artist, too.
– Junto Nakatani not only secured the WBC bantamweight world title but also etched his name into the annals of boxing history as a three-weight world champion, all by the tender age of 26!
From the opening bell, Nakatani was controlling the range, making Alexandro Santiago’s attempts to close in seem like a child trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark. Despite Santiago’s valiant efforts and sneaky body shots that momentarily seemed to give him a glimmer of hope, Nakatani’s precision and timing were simply on another level.
Santiago, perhaps feeling a bit spicy, managed to land a right that rocked Nakatani in the second, almost flipping the script. But let’s be real – it takes more than a lucky shot to rattle a champ like Nakatani. By the end of the third, it was clear Nakatani was still in charge, leading 3-0 on my card, despite Santiago’s body work and left hooks.
The fourth round saw Santiago upping his game, throwing caution to the wind and landing more shots. Yet, for every punch he landed, Nakatani had a counter, turning Santiago’s best round into a bittersweet moment. And just when you thought Santiago might be turning the tide in the fifth, Nakatani reminded everyone why he’s not to be underestimated, showcasing his boxing smarts and proving that moving up in weight was perhaps the best decision of his career.
In the sixth round. Santiago, perhaps a tad too eager, walked straight into a left hook from Nakatani that he never saw coming. Shaken but not stirred, Santiago tried to gather his wits, only to be met with a barrage from Nakatani that left him dazed, confused, and on the canvas. With the corner throwing in the towel, it was a wrap.
This was statement win that screamed to the world he’s not just playing in the big leagues – he’s dominating them. At 26, with the world at his feet and a shiny new belt around his waist, Nakatani’s performance was nothing short of magnificent. What a night!
– In what can only be described as a ballet of brutality, Kosei Tanaka took the art of boxing and turned it into a spectacle of sheer dominance against Christian Bacasegua. From the get-go, Tanaka orchestrated a symphony of punches that had Bacasegua playing catch-up from the opening bell.
For the first few rounds, Tanaka was just warming up, showcasing a beautiful array of boxing skills, making Bacasegua seem like he was there for a sparring session rather than a fight. By the third round, it was clear who was in charge, with Tanaka dictating the pace like a boss. Tanaka was giving a tutorial on how to dismantle your opponent, piece by piece.
And oh, those heavy jabs and hooks! It was like Tanaka had a vendetta against Bacasegua’s head and body, landing blows that would make anyone else reconsider their career choices. Bacasegua, bless his heart, kept walking into traps set by Tanaka, eating left hooks, uppercuts, and body shots That uppercut in the corner? Picture-perfect.
By the later rounds, it was clear Tanaka was putting on a clinic. Those triple left hooks were a thing of beauty, a testament to his skill and relentless pursuit of victory. Bacasegua, tough as nails, kept pressing on, but it was evident the tide had turned irrevocably in Tanaka’s favor.
In the 8th, a body shot followed by a headshot had Bacasegua doing the one-glove touch of shame. Tanaka kept dismantling Bacasegua with a surgeon’s precision, landing combos, upjabs, counter hooks, and those devastating body shots that echoed through the arena.
By the final round, Bacasegua was in survival mode, clinching for dear life, hoping to hear the final bell. But Tanaka, ever the predator, kept the pressure on, landing brutal one-twos until the very end. My scorecard? 119-108 for Tanaka. The juges scored the fight 119-108, 117-111, 116-111 in favor of Tanaka, who is now a 4 weight world champ.
That's a NASTY Tanaka uppercut. #InoueAncajas x #SantiagoNakatani pic.twitter.com/Wl22FgIfj6
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 24, 2024
– If you blinked, you probably missed it. Riku Masuda decided to cut his workday short by knocking Jonas Sultan into next week with a devastating body punch, just 2 minutes and 21 seconds into Round 1. I mean, why bother with a long fight when you can just get it over with before your coffee gets cold, right?
Everyone was all set for for the first good showdown of the night (morning..), ready for some back-and-forth, some drama, maybe even a little sweat. But Masuda, clearly having other plans, must’ve thought, “Nah, let’s just wrap this up. I’ve got places to be.” And just like that, Sultan was probably left wondering if he accidentally walked into a speed dating event instead of a boxing ring.
