(Oct. 10, 2023) – Japanese world champion Takuma Inoue will defend his WBA bantamweight crown against Filipino former world champion Jerwin Ancajas on Wednesday, November 15, at Ry?goku 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.  

The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee called for the auction the purs bid between the flyweight champion of the organization, Artem Dalakian, and the number one contender Seigo Yuri Akui, to be held on September 8.

The auction will be held in Houston, Texas, and will be conducted by the committee’s vice-president, Julio Thyme, according to the communication sent to the teams of both fighters. 

The bidding will be conducted under the rules of the pioneer organization and will have a purse split of 75% for the champion and 25% for the challenger. The minimum amount to obtain the organization rights will be U$ 80,000.00. 

The Ukrainian comes from defending his crown in January against David Jimenez and now must face the Japanese after the deadline to face the official challenger has passed.

Artur Beterbiev remained completely perfect as he stopped Anthony Yarde to retain the IBF/WBC/WBO Light Heavyweight titles in action packed fight at The AVO Arena in London.

It was a fight full of action with each guy having success by landing some hard combinations. Each guy backed the other up at various times in the fight with rounds five and seven seeing terrific two way action.

At the end of round five, Yarde was cut under his right eye. During round six, Beterbiev was cut over his right eye. That did not bother Beterbiev as in round eight, Beterbiev landed a looping right to the top of the head that put Yarde on the canvas. With Yarde hurt, Beterbiev landed two more shots before Yarde’s corner stopped the fight at 2:01.

Beterbiev on Russia is 19-0 with 19 knockouts. Yarde of England is 23-2.

Beterbiev said, “Every fight is different. It’s a different preparation. And the fighter is different, too. I can’t say I did a very bad fight. But if I could do it again, I’d do it better. But I feel good. To be honest, I prepared for the all the punches he did. That’s why I could come back. It’s because we expected those punches.

“Everyone can punch hard at this level. And Anthony did, too. But he’s young. I turned into a professional when I was 28. He has time. I hope he does well in the future. I want [Dmitry] Bivol. Right now, it’s everything. In that fight, we’ll have four belts. It’s really good fight, I think.”

Maderna Shocks Itauma in 5

Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna scored a big upset by stopping Karol Itauma in round five of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Maderna continuously landed a straight right hands on the listless southpaw Itauma, In round five, one of those right hands landed flush and dropped Itauma. Itauma did not attempt to beat the count and the fight was stopped at 1:04.

Maderna of Argentina is 29-10 with 19 knockouts. Itauma of England is 9-1.

Dalakian Decisions Jimenez to retain Flyweight belt

Artem Dalakian retained the WBA Flyweight title with a 12-round decision over David Jimenez in a battle of undefeated fighters.

In round five, Jimenez was cut over his right eye. The fight was close, but it seemed the constant pressure of Jimenez would get him the victory and the title. The judges saw differently as the scores read 116-112 and 115-113 for the defending champion.

Punch stats favored Jimenez as he landed 122 of 435 punches; Dalakian was 94 of 547.

Dalakian, 111.6 lbs of Kiev. UKR is now 22-0. Jimenez, 111.1 lbs of Costa Rica is now 12-1.

Andy Fletcher remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Darryl Sharp in a cruiserweight bout.

Fletcher won by a 60-54 score and is now 4-0.

Moses Itauma made a successful pro debut with a 22 second knockout of Marcel Bode.

Itauma is 1-0 with one knockout. Bode is 2-2.

THE WBA WORLD flyweight championship clash between the champion Artem Dalakian from Ukraine and Costa Rican challenger David Jiminez will take place in support of the forthcoming Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde blockbuster at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport.

Ilford man Yarde challenges for the WBC, WBO and IBF world light heavyweight titles held by the undefeated Montreal resident, who holds a record of 18 wins with all 18 coming via a stoppage.

Dalakian, 35, won his world title belt in February 2018 with a points victory over Brian Viloria and has subsequently made five successful defences. He is unbeaten in 21 professional fights, with 15 of his wins coming via stoppage.

Jiminez, 30, has previously won the WBA Latino title and the WBA Gold world flyweight championship and is unbeaten in 12, with nine KOs.

Also on the bill and in title action against opponents to be confirmed shortly, light heavyweight star in the making Karol Itauma (9-0, 7 KOs) will fight for a first professional belt with the WBC International title being on the line and, also at light heavy, Willy Hutchinson (15-1, 11) will battle for the WBO Intercontinental championship.

A clutch of Queensberry’s top young prospects have secured a spot on the card.

The prospects on parade are 11-times National champion as an amateur, Charles Frankham, who was also a World Youth Championship bronze medallist and winner of gold at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

The 23-year-old Charles – known as ‘Boom Boom’ – is currently 6-0 in the professional ranks and making significant improvements under the guidance of new trainer Roger Lee.

Charles’ first cousin, Joshua Frankham, will also feature at Wembley, with the four-times National champion and former England international having his seventh professional fight after illness ruled him out of a November appearance at The O2.

Big-hitting cruiserweight Tommy Fletcher will have his fourth pro fight. The 20-year-old ‘Norfolk Nightmare’ has sent ripples through the division with three mighty knockouts to date, with two of them coming in the first round.

Last time out in November he poleaxed the Czech Jiri Krejci with a punishing left uppercut to close his show at The O2.

The 5-0 featherweight Umar Khan, 20, returns to action after impressing at York Hall in November with a shutout victory over Alexander Taylor, along with the hugely popular Brick Lane southpaw Khalid Ali.

The 4-0 ‘Bengal Tiger’ was last in the ring back in September when he outpointed Dario Borosa via a 60-54 margin at York Hall.

Another welterweight, Sean Noakes, will have his fourth fight as a professional after a successful first year of three four-rounders that resulted in two shutout victories and a second round stoppage for the Maidstone man.

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 28 January 2023 are on sale now from AXS.com.