World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’the Monster’’ Inoue and his brother and WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue had their respective sparring sessions with Mexican partners at their Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama on Oct. 23 in preparation for their title defenses this year.

  Naoya Inoue, 30, went six rounds with International Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion Erik Robles, 23, who arrived in Japan the preceding day together with his fellow featherweight Jose Angel Garcia, 25. Both are southpaws.

  After sparring with Robles, Inoue issued a statement, ‘’After the sparring session, I realized that he is a worthy sparring partner who will not give up easily. Since the two are said to stay in Japan for a month, I plan to gear up for my fight. My next fight (with WBA and International Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales) will officially be announced shortly. So please wait for a few days.’’ Inoue is scheduled to face Tapales in the division’s title unification fight in December.

  Meanwhile, Takuma Inoue, 27, who will make his first defense of the title against former International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines on Nov. 15 at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena, went four rounds with Garcia.

  After the sparring session, Takuma also issued a statement, ‘’I have been sparring with three partners from the Philippines since last week. I am planning to do sparring two to three times a week. But today’s Mexican is more similar in style to Ancajas. I am lucky that I have the five left-handed sparring partners. I plan to end the sparring sessions 10 days or two weeks before the fight.’’

PHOTO by Ohashi Boxing Gym