# Takuma Inoue

Takuma Inoue (井上 拓真, Inoue Takuma, born December 26, 1995) is a Japanese professional boxer who held the WBA bantamweight title from 2023 to 2024.

## Professional career

Inoue started boxing from a very young age, after watching his brother Naoya win several high school championships. After a promising amateur career, he made his pro debut in 2013 as a light flyweight against future WBO minimumweight world champion Tatsuya Fukuhara. Inoue defeated the much more experienced boxer by unanimous decision. Inoue then moved up to the flyweight division and faced Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr., winning the fight by unanimous decision. After knocking out a debuting Chalerm Kotala, Inoue moved up to super flyweight and outclassed world title contender Nestor Daniel Narvaes.
Inoue defeated Mark Anthony Geraldo on July 6, 2015, to win the OPBF super flyweight title. He then successfully defended the belt against Rene Dacquel on December 29, 2015. On September 4, 2016, Inoue defeated Froilan Saludar at the Sky Arena in Japan, before moving up to bantamweight.
Inoue was set to face Marlon Tapales for the WBO bantamweight title in December 2016. However, Inoue was forced to withdraw from the fight after fracturing his hand in training.
Inoue made his return on August 30, 2017, against 4-time world title challenger Hiroyuki Kudaka. He won the back and forth fight by unanimous decision. Inoue then went on to defeat former Japanese champion Kentaro Masuda and Indonesian journeyman Waldo Sabu.
WBC Eliminator
On September 11, 2018, Inoue faced Mark John Yap in a title eliminator for the WBC Bantamweight world championship. The fight was fairly competitive until Inoue floored Yap with a left hook in the fifth. From there, Inoue maintained control for the next three rounds and earned a unanimous decision win.
WBC Interim Championship
Inoue faced Petch Sor Chitpattana for the vacant WBC interim bantamweight title on December 30, 2018, in Ota City General Gymnasium Japan. He won the fight by unanimous decision (117–111, 117–111, 117–111). As the interim champion, Inoue became the mandatory challenger to the winner of the vacant WBC world title fight between Rau'shee Warren and Nordine Oubaali.
WBC Bantamweight Championship
Nordine Oubaali vs Takuma Inoue
Inoue faced two time Olympian Nordine Oubaali for the WBC bantamweight title on November 7, 2019. He lost the fight by unanimous decision (117–110, 120–107, 115–112), marking the first loss of his professional career.

### Inoue vs. Kurihara

On January 14, 2021, Inoue beat Keita Kurihara by technical decision in their 9-round contest. Kurihara was ranked #4 by the IBF at bantamweight at the time. The scorecards were announced as 82–89, 82–89, 81–90 in favor of Inoue.

### Inoue vs. Wake

In his next bout, Inoue beat Shingo Wake by unanimous decision on November 11, 2021. Wake was ranked #13 by the WBO at super bantamweight. The scorecards read 117–110, 117–110, 117–110 in favor of Inoue.

### Inoue vs. Furuhashi

In his next bout, on June 7, 2022, Inoue fought Gakuya Furuhashi. Inoue won the fight convincingly, winning 119–109, 120–108, 120–108 on the scorecards.

### Inoue vs. Bornea

Inoue faced Jake Bornea on December 13, 2022. The fight was stopped in the 8th round due to a cut opened up on Bornea, with Inoue dominating the action up to that point.

### Inoue vs. Solis

Inoue faced former WBA super flyweight champion Liborio Solis for the vacant WBA bantamweight title on April 8, 2023. He won the fight and the title by unanimous decision.

### Inoue vs. Ancajas

Inoue made his first WBA bantamweight title defense against former IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas. Inoue won the fight and retained his title by 9th round body-shot knockout.

### Inoue vs. Tsutsumi

Inoue defended his WBA bantamweight title against Seiya Tsutsumi at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on October 13, 2024. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

## Awards

Inoue was named the 2015 The Ring magazine Prospect of the Year.

## Personal life

He is the younger brother of Naoya Inoue, and the younger cousin of Koki Inoue.

## Professional boxing record

| 22 fights | 20 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 0 |
| By decision | 15 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 22 | Loss | 20–2 | Seiya Tsutsumi | UD | 12 | Oct 13, 2024 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | Lost WBA bantamweight title |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | Shō Ishida | UD | 12 | May 6, 2024 | Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBA bantamweight title |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Jerwin Ancajas | KO | 9 (12), 0:44 | Feb 24, 2024 | Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBA bantamweight title |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Liborio Solís | UD | 12 | Apr 8, 2023 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant WBA bantamweight title |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Jake Bornea | TKO | 8 (10), 2:48 | Dec 13, 2022 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Gakuya Furuhashi | UD | 12 | Jun 7, 2022 | Super Arena, Saitama, Japan | Retained WBO Asia Pacific super-bantamweight title; Won Japanese super-bantamweight title |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Shingo Wake | UD | 12 | Nov 11, 2021 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific super-bantamweight title |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Keita Kurihara | TD | 9 (12), 2:25 | Jan 14, 2021 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won OPBF bantamweight title |
| 14 | Loss | 13–1 | Nordine Oubaali | UD | 12 | Nov 7, 2019 | Super Arena, Saitama, Japan | For WBC bantamweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Petch Sor Chitpattana | UD | 12 | Dec 30, 2018 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant WBC interim bantamweight title |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Mark John Yap | UD | 12 | Sep 11, 2018 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Waldo Sabu | KO | 1 (10), 2:14 | May 25, 2018 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Kentaro Masuda | UD | 10 | Dec 30, 2017 | Cultural Gymnasium, Yokohama, Japan | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Hiroyuki Hisataka | UD | 10 | Aug 30, 2017 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Froilan Saludar | UD | 10 | Sep 4, 2016 | Sky Arena, Zama, Japan | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Afrizal Tamboresi | TKO | 2 (12), 1:46 | May 8, 2016 | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan | Retained OPBF super-flyweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Rene Dacquel | UD | 12 | Dec 29, 2015 | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan | Retained OPBF super-flyweight title |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Mark Anthony Geraldo | UD | 12 | Jul 6, 2015 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant OPBF super-flyweight title |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Nestor Daniel Narvaes | UD | 8 | Dec 30, 2014 | Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Chalerm Kotala | KO | 2 (8), 0:51 | Sep 5, 2014 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Teeraphong Utaida | UD | 8 | Apr 6, 2014 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Tatsuya Fukuhara | UD | 6 | Dec 6, 2013 | Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | |