Filipino Boxers Face Defeat in Tokyo, Ancajas and Sultan Knocked Out

janimonow

February 25

In a challenging night for Filipino boxing, Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan both suffered knockout losses in Tokyo, Japan. The event, held at the Kokugikan Arena, saw Ancajas fall to Takuma Inoue in a bid for the WBA bantamweight world title, while Sultan was defeated by Riku Masuda in an explosive opening round.

Ancajas, a former world champion, engaged Inoue early in their match but was ultimately overpowered by a decisive right hook from Inoue in the ninth round, leading to a knockout. This loss marked a significant moment for Ancajas, who had attempted to use body shots effectively throughout the fight but was unable to withstand Inoue's striking power.

Takuma Inoue's victory not only allowed him to retain his title but also improved his record to 19-1, marking his fifth career knockout win. Ancajas, on the other hand, saw his record adjust to 34-4-2 following the defeat.

In a separate match, Jonas Sultan was quickly overwhelmed by Riku Masuda, succumbing to a left hook to the abdomen within the first 50 seconds of the opening round. Despite his efforts to recover, Sultan's difficulty breathing was evident, prompting the official to halt the match and declare Masuda the victor by knockout.

The event also witnessed Kosei Tanaka making history by winning the vacant WBO super flyweight championship against Mexican Christian Bacasegua, becoming a champion in four weight classes. Tanaka's victory was underscored by unanimous decision scores of 116-111, 117-110, and 119-108, in a fight that became increasingly one-sided after Bacasegua sustained a cut above his right eyebrow.

This night in Tokyo highlighted the highs and lows of professional boxing, with Filipino fighters facing tough challenges on foreign soil. As Ancajas and Sultan regroup from their defeats, the boxing community watches eagerly to see how they will bounce back in future bouts.