Inoue Targets Knockout in Sunday's WBC Bantamweight Title Rematch
Takuma Inoue seeks a decisive finish against Tenshin Nasukawa at Toyota Arena, aiming to end the fight before the final bell.
Key points
- Takuma Inoue defends his WBC bantamweight title against Tenshin Nasukawa on September 27 at Toyota Arena Tokyo.
- Inoue seeks a knockout victory to end the fight decisively, while Nasukawa aims for revenge after his first boxing loss.
- The undercard includes three other title fights, with odds favoring Inoue at -260 according to US sportsbooks.
The air in Toyota Arena Tokyo tastes of ozone and anticipation. Takuma Inoue stands ready to defend his WBC bantamweight crown against Tenshin Nasukawa on Sunday, September 27. It is a rematch, ten months later, where the former kickboxing star will try to reverse his only professional boxing loss.
Inoue wants no ambiguity this time. After winning a unanimous decision last November, he has vowed to shut his opponent down completely. "I will knock him out without leaving any openings," he declared at a July press conference. The champion sees no need for a scorecard if the canvas decides the outcome.
Champion promises decisive finish
Since their first meeting, both fighters have tested their skills against elite opposition. Inoue (22-2, 5 KOs) defended his belt in May, dropping Kazuto Ioka twice in a unanimous decision. Nasukawa (8-1, 3 KOs) responded with a ninth-round stoppage of Juan Francisco Estrada, securing his mandatory challenger status. The stakes are higher, the preparation sharper.
Nasukawa warns of evolution
Nasukawa, however, rejects the narrative of a predictable loser. He spent ten months rebuilding his game, targeting the specific gaps Inoue exploited in their first bout. "If you fight me imagining the same version of me from that time, you’re in for a rude awakening," he warned. He believes the boxing world remains incomplete until he claims the belt.
Inoue family supports the fight
The champion’s brother, undisputed super bantamweight Naoya Inoue, has publicly championed Takuma’s growth. "Takuma’s boxing, now armed with these two skills, is freakish and terrifying," Naoya wrote on social media. He sees a fighter who has finally unlocked the drive to break through his own limits, a transformation that has reshaped the family’s dominance in the weight class.
The undercard features three additional title bouts, including Ryosuke Nishida moving up to face Sam Goodman for the interim IBF super bantamweight belt. Odds from US sportsbooks list Inoue as a -260 favorite, reflecting the consensus that the champion’s power and technique will prevail. The fight airs on DAZN in the US and Prime Video in Japan.
