Naoya Inoue Captures OPBF Title; Younger Brother Takuma Victorious in Debut

(Ohashi), the former Japanese light-flyweight champion and OPBF No. 1 contender, claimed the vacant OPBF light-flyweight title on the 6th with a fifth-round TKO victory over No. 2-ranked Jerson Mancio (Philippines). Inoue’s achievement in capturing the OPBF crown in only his fifth professional bout equals the record for the fewest fights to win the title. The official time of the stoppage was 2:51 of the fifth round.

井上はボディブローを効果的に使った

Inoue maintained his customary jab-centric approach, requiring little time to find his rhythm. Facing Mancio, who held a high guard and swung heavy hooks, Inoue effectively slipped the incoming fire to land clinical uppercuts and body shots.

In the second round, Inoue’s signature one-two followed by a left hook to the liver began to tell. As a wounded Mancio retreated, Inoue pressed the advantage, punctuating the assault with a straight right to score the opening knockdown.

Mancio managed to survive the crisis but appeared exhausted by the third, having absorbed a diverse array of power shots and counters. Despite heavy bleeding from near his left eye, the Filipino displayed considerable resolve, occasionally finding Inoue’s target with desperate hooks.

Seeking to avoid a protracted battle against a durable opponent, Inoue intensified his attack in the fifth. A multifaceted assault of body blows, uppercuts, and a sharp right counter finally broke Mancio’s resistance. Inoue trapped his opponent against the ropes and unleashed a sustained barrage, prompting the referee’s intervention at the 2:51 mark. Inoue improves to 5-0 (4 KOs), while Mancio falls to 18-4-3 (9 KOs).

When questioned by the press regarding a potential world title shot next, Ohashi Gym president Hideyuki Ohashi replied, “That would be the natural progression, wouldn’t it?”

Earlier in the evening, Takuma Inoue (Ohashi), a decorated amateur with two high school national titles, made a successful professional debut. In a light-flyweight eight-rounder, he secured a unanimous decision victory over Japanese minimumweight No. 8 Tatsuya Fukuhara (Honda Fitness). The scores were 59-56 and 59-55 twice.

The younger Inoue seized control from the opening frame, repeatedly catching the southpaw Fukuhara with straight rights on the counter. His hand speed and nuanced positioning drew immediate comparisons to his elder brother, Naoya. Although Fukuhara’s cautious approach made him difficult to pin down from the second round onwards, Inoue incorporated left hooks and uppercuts in the closing stages to ensure a convincing victory on the cards.