Dsalita Takuma Inoue proved his mettle and fought through some tough moments on Monday to retain his WBA bantamweight title against Sho Ishida at the Tokyo Dome in Japan’s bustling capital.
Despite being knocked down in the first round by Ishida’s unexpected jab, Inoue managed to rally and ultimately secured victory with scorecards of 118-109, 118-109, and 116-111 in his favor.
The evening held an almost mystical connection as both Inoue and his brother Naoya faced early setbacks in their matches but ultimately emerged victorious. For Takuma, this win marked his second successful defense of his WBA title, which he first claimed in April of last year against Liborio Solis and defended in February against Jerwin Ancajas.
Facing a formidable opponent in Ishida, Takuma showcased his speed and adept counterattacking skills to dominantly control the bout. With this win, the bantamweight champion’s record improved to 20 wins, 1 loss, and 5 knockouts, while Ishida’s record now stands at 34 wins, 4 losses, and 17 knockouts.
