TOKYO – Takuma Inoue declared Jerwin Ancajas as the best fighter yet he’ll ever face in his boxing career.
And when up against the best, the WBA champion said he needs to be at his best.
Inoue, 28, stakes his 118lbs belt on Saturday at the Kokugikan Arena in his first title defense against a fighter who was once among the longest reigning world champion and idolized by no less than the Japanese title holder.
“He is the best fighter I’ll ever face, so I want to be focused,” said Inoue, younger brother of undisputed world champion Naoya Inoue, through an interpreter. “I want to fight until the end and I want to win the fight.”
In his 11-year career, Inoue has only logged a total of 19 fights, winning 18 of them including four by knockouts. His only loss came at the hands of Nordine Oubaali in a unanimous decision for the WBC bantamweight crown in 2019.
Ancajas is actually the sixth Filipino boxer Inoue will be fighting, among them former WBO flyweight title Froilan Saludar.
None of them came close to achieving what Ancajas aims to accomplish.
“I idolize (Ancajas),” said Inoue, through the same interpreter.
“I watched several matches (of Ancajas) and practiced against him. But there are some elements that I’m not sure until I actually face him in the ring,” added the champion without elaborating.
Naoya Inoue will be at the venue to watch his brother fight, but won’t be working in his corner.
“He is the guest (TV panel). He will be doing (the) TV),” said the Japanese interpreter.
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