Top Rank boxing return to Japan to present their biggest attraction so far. Four World championship contests take place on 06 May, with Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery serving as the main event.
Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery
The Monster Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) will defend his Undisputed Jr Featherweight crown against Mexican Luis Nery (35-1, 27 KOs). Inoue boasts an incredible 21-0 record in World championship contests, and is a former two-weight world champion. Inoue unified the Super Bantamweight/Jr Featherweight division last December when he stopped Marlon Tapales.
Luis Nery is a former two-weight WBC World champion, having captured gold at Bantamweight and Jr Featherweight. Nery remained World champion until the only loss of his career in a unification bout to Brandon Figueroa. He was rebuild since the Figueroa loss and enters the bout on a 4 fight win-streak.
Takuma Inoue vs Sho Ishida
The younger brother of Naoya Inoue also competes on the card. Takuma Inoue (19-1, 5 KOs) will defend his WBA Bantamweight World championship against Sho Ishida (34-3, 17 KOs).
Takuma Inoue captured his WBA world championship in April and went on to defend successfully against Jerwin Ancajas in February 2024. The lone loss on Takuma Inoue’s fight record came in a WBC World bout against Nordina Oubaali in 2019.
Sho Ishida makes his second attempt for a world title, having previously fought and lost to Khalid Yafai in Cardiff. Ishida is on a five-fight win streak including a Split Decision victory over Victor Santillian.
Seigo Yuri Akui vs Taku Kuwahara
New WBA World champion Seigo Yuri Akui (19-2-1, 11 KOs) battles Taku Kuwahara (13-1, 8 KOs) in a rematch of their 2021 Japanese title bout. Akui won the first bout by 10th-round TKO, inflicting the only loss of Taku Kuwahara’s career. Kuwahara has recorded 5 victories since then, 4 by stoppage.
Akui defeated Artem Dalakian in Osaka to capture his WBA World title, winning on the scorecards by a wide Unanimous Decision. Taku Kuwahara steps up to World championship level for the first time, having previously held the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Flyweight championship.
Jason Maloney vs Yoshiki Takei
Australia’s WBO bantamweight world champion Jason Moloney (27-2, 19 KOs) defends his WBO World championship against former World champion kickboxer Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8 KOs).
Moloney enters on the back of a Majority Decision victory on away soil against Saul Sanchez, which took place in Canada on the Beterbiev vs Smith undercard.
Takei is a KO artist who holds experience in K1, where he reigned as a World champion for three years. Takei turned professional boxer in 2021 and has knocked out every opponent he has faced.
📅Date📅
The event is being held on Monday 06 May 2024.
⏰Start Time⏰
In the USA, the action begins at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT.
In the UK the card begins at 9:00 a.m.
Main Event ringwalk expected from 12:15 a.m in the UK.
🏟️Location🏟️
Inoue vs Nery and the rest of the card is being held at the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo Japan.
The Tokyo Dome, which opened in March 1988, has a brief-but-storied boxing history. Four days after the venue’s grand opening, Mike Tyson defended the undisputed heavyweight championship with a second-round TKO over Tony Tubbs in front of 51,000 spectators. The last professional boxing event at “The Big Egg” took place in February 1990. In one of sport’s greatest upsets, James “Buster” Douglas knocked out Tyson in the 10th round to capture the undisputed crown.
📺How to Watch📺
The card airs live on ESPN+ in the USA.
This card will also air live in the UK on Sky Sports.
🥊Undercard🥊
Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery
(Inoue) Undisputed Jr Featherweight champion
Takuma Inoue vs Sho Ishida
(Inoue) WBA World Bantamweight champion
Seigo Yuri Akui vs Taku Kuwahara
(Yuri Akui) WBA World Flyweight champion
Jason Maloney vs Yoshiki Takei
(Moloney) WBO World Bantamweight champion
TJ Doheny vs Bryl Bayogos
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