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Oct. 13/14: Takuma Inoue-Seiya Tsutsumi

& Junto Nakatani-Petch Sor Chitpattana

Bantamweight World Title Fights

Headline Tokyo Cards LIVE On ESPN+!

(August 22nd) Tokyo's Ariake Arena will host two consecutive days of championship action — eight fights and seven world title showdowns — streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ during the early morning hours.

 

The action kicks off Sunday, Oct. 13, as Takuma Inoue defends his WBA bantamweight world title against Seiya Tsutsumi. In the co-feature, Kenshiro Teraji aims to conquer a second weight class by facing former champion Cristofer Rosales for the vacant WBC flyweight world title.

Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs), the younger brother of pound-for-pound mainstay Naoya Inoue, captured the vacant belt with a points win over Liborio Solis in April 2023. He defended it with a ninth-round stoppage versus former world champion Jerwin Ancajas in February and a unanimous decision over Sho Ishida in May. Tsutsumi (11-0-2, 8 KOs) makes his first world title appearance following a fourth-round TKO against Weerawat Noolae in July.

 

Teraji (22-1, 14 KOs) made three defenses of his unified light flyweight crown, including a majority decision win over Carlos Cañizales in January. He is 14-1 in light flyweight world title contests dating back to May 2017. Rosales (37-6, 22 KOs) is on a five-fight winning streak following an April 2022 decision loss to eventual IBF champ Angel Ayala. He won the WBC flyweight world title in 2018 in Japan, stopping local favorite Daigo Higa in nine rounds.

 

In additional fight action on Sunday, Oct. 13:

Seigo Yuri Akui (20-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Thananchai Charunphak (25-1, 15 KOs), 12 Rounds, Akui’s WBA Flyweight World Title

 

Shokichi Iwata (13-1, 10 KOs) vs. Jairo Noriega (14-0, 3 KOs), 12 Rounds, Vacant WBO Light Flyweight World Title

 

The action continues Monday, Oct. 14, as three-division king Junto Nakatani defends his WBC bantamweight world title against Petch Sor Chitpattana. In the 10-round co-feature, former kickboxing world champion Tenshin Nasukawa (4-0, 2 KOs) faces Filipino contender Gerwin Asilo (9-0, 4 KOs) for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title.

 

Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) captured the WBC strap in February with a sixth-round TKO against Alexandro Santiago. The 26-year-old southpaw authored a devastating encore in July, knocking out Vincent Astrolabio in the opening round. Sor Chitpattana (76-1, 53 KOs) returns to Japan for the first time since his 2018 interim title bout loss to Takuma Inoue. Since that setback, he has an impressive 28-0 record with 20 knockouts.

 

Two additional world title showdowns will take place on Monday, Oct. 14:

Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) vs. Phumelele Cafu (10-0-3, 8 KOs), 12 Rounds, Tanaka’s WBO Junior Bantamweight World Title

 

Anthony Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KOs) vs. Jonathan Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KOs), 12 Rounds, Olascuaga’s WBO Flyweight World Title

 

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

 

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

 

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com.

 

About ESPN

In the UK, ESPN operates a successful and growing business that includes a collection of leading sports websites and apps, an expanding sports content sales business, live and on-demand streaming service ESPN Player, and a long-term collaboration with BT Sport that includes BT Sport operating an ESPN-branded channel as part of its television business.

 

ESPN UK combines bespoke content from an experienced London-based team with the best writing on other sites in ESPN’s global digital portfolio, including ESPNcricinfo.com and ESPN FC. More than 100 staff from multiple locations contribute to ESPN UK’s coverage across football, rugby, cricket, tennis, boxing and golf, offering both a local and global view.

 

ESPN’s UK business is part of ESPN International, a division of ESPN, Inc., which has grown to include ownership — in whole or in part — of 26 television networks outside of the United States, as well as a variety of additional businesses that allow ESPN to reach sports fans in more than 60 countries and territories across all seven continents. Since 1983, ESPN (founded in Bristol, Connecticut, in 1979) has grown around the world, establishing itself as the leading global sports media brand – ESPN.com is one of the world’s leading sports websites. The company’s philosophy to global growth is to always serve sports fans and be locally relevant to them, with content and products that tap into their great passion and dedication. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

 

About Top Rank

Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

 

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

 

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.

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