By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

“Monster” Naoya’s younger brother, Japan’s brightening speedster Takuma Inoue (15-1, 3 KOs), 122, acquired the vacant WBO Asia Pacific junior featherweight belt as he proved too fast and ferocious for ex-IBF world challenger and former OPBF 122-pound champ Shingo Wake (27-7-2, 19 KOs), 121.5, dropped him with a smashing right in round four and scored a unanimous decision (all 117-110) over twelve sizzling rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Takuma, a legitimate 118-pounder, has a nuisance to win the world bantam belt in no other than his brother Naoya who now holds the WBA and IBF belts. The 25-year-old Inoue, therefore, participated in a tune-up go in quest of the 122-pound regional belt after a ten-month hiatus since his OPBF bantam acquisition last January. Moving to-and-fro and punching faster to the puzzling southpaw Wake, Takuma steadily piled up points and demonstrated his superiority in speed on hand and foot all the way.

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.

Attendance: 782 (less than a half of the 1,600 capacity at the Korakuen Hall with the JBC’s regulation).

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