Boxing’s dynamic duo will reunite for the vacation season.
Naoya Inoue and Yokishi Takei will each make title defenses on the present for the third time this yr. A title combat doubleheader is ready for Dec. 24 at Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo, Japan. Inoue (28-0, 25 knockouts) will danger his RING/undisputed junior featherweight crown. Takei (11-0, 8 KOs) places his WBO bantamweight title on the road for the second time.
The official challengers for each weren’t but revealed as this goes to publication. Nevertheless, a press convention is confirmed for Thursday, streaming reside on Lemino to verify these particulars.
It’s broadly believed that Inoue will defend his RING/undisputed 122-pound championship versus IBF necessary challenger Sam Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs). The matchup is at the moment slated for a handbag bid listening to later this month, however a deal was all the time anticipated to be reached.
Inoue, The Ring’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, will try his fourth general protection of not less than two 122-pound titles. He’ll make the third protection of his RING championship, all in an energetic 2024 marketing campaign. He has scored knockouts in all 4 wins on the weight.
The whole run has included Takei alongside for the trip. The Dec. 24 combat date will mark the sixth straight time they’ll seem on the identical present. The primary got here in Dec. 2022, when Inoue knocked out Paul Butler to completely unify the bantamweight division. The historic second noticed Inoue turn out to be Japan’s first ever undisputed champion within the three- or four-belt period.
Two fights later, Inoue joined an unique record of fighters to gather all 4 main belts and The Ring championship at two or extra weights.
Takei’s first title win got here on the undercard of Inoue’s Could 4 sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery on the Tokyo Dome.
The occasion noticed Takei dethrone Australia’s Jason Moloney (27-3, 19 KOs) to elevate the WBO bantamweight title. His reign is a part of a golden period for Japan, whose fighters personal all 4 main titles at bantamweight. It’s a becoming extension of Inoue’s undisputed championship reign on the weight earlier than he abdicated the throne final January.
Inoue and Takei posted wins in separate bouts on Sept. 3 at this very area.
The primary occasion noticed Inoue earn a seventh-round damage stoppage of TJ Doheny. Within the chief assist, Takei fended off decided countryman Daigo Higa to earn a twelve-round unanimous choice.
