In a perfect world, Takuma Inoue’s next two fights would be to win a second major title and then avenge the defeat that ended his first reign.
Half of that mission is well within control, as the former WBA 118lbs titlist is set to face countryman Tenshin Nasukawa for the vacant WBC strap. The two meet Monday at Toyota Arena in Tokyo, with U-Next and Top Rank Classics FAST channel set to air the scheduled 12-round title fight.
With a win, Inoue, 20-2 (5 KOs) would love nothing more than another dance with Seiya Tsutsumi, against whom he conceded his WBA title in a tightly contested 12-round thriller last October.
“Personally, I do feel a desire to get revenge against Tsutsumi,” Inoue confessed to BoxingScene.
The first order of business is to get past the celebrated Nasukawa, 7-0 (2 KOs), the legendary former kickboxing champion who enters his first major title fight in this medium.
Monday’s affair will mark the first fight for Inoue since his heartbreaking defeat to Tsutsumi. Injuries sustained in the bout kept him sidelined longer than expected, which also meant missing out on a second shot at his old title.
“It took about six months to be completely back,” Inoue admitted. “I’ve had year-long breaks before, so the frustration wasn’t too strong this time.”
To his credit, a tune-up fight was out of the question. It was either go big or stay home for the younger brother of four-division and reigning undisputed 122lbs champion Naoya Inoue.
There was a point when the younger Inoue considered a path that would lead to a shot at the IBF belt. He had two options from which to choose once Junto Nakatani, 31-0 (24 KOs) vacated the WBC and IBF belts to campaign at 122lbs, where he is expected to challenge Naoya Inoue sometime next year.
In the end, he chose the option that carried the greatest demand on the domestic level.
“This is the matchup that the public most wants to see,” Inoue explained. “And I am confident that I will win.”
The oddsmakers don’t quite share his optimism. Nasukawa is a -400 betting favorite according to bet365 sportsbook, which lists Inoue as a +333 underdog.
Experts either believe that Nasukawa is that ready for the title level less than three years into his pro career, or that Inoue is just in over his head at this stage of his career.
Interestingly, Nasukawa’s pro debut came on the same April 2023 show that Inoue’s WBA title win over Liborio Solis. Inoue made two successful defenses – both against former titleholders in Jerwin Ancajas and Sho Ishida – before the hard-fought loss to Tsutsumi.
“Becoming a world champion gave me great confidence,” Inoue fondly recalled. “Above all, having experienced a world title fight is a big advantage.”
