World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym said on March 26 in Tokyo he welcomes his title defense against top-ranked Sho Ishida of Ioka Boxing Gym on May 6 at Tokyo Dome, only about two months and a half of his preceding fight.

  The 28-year-old Inoue said after attending a program of a satellite broadcasting station, ‘’I think having a fight at such short intervals is an option because I can resume my training without going back to square one.’’

  The fight will be one of the four world title fights at the dome, in which Takuma’s elder brother and stablemate Naoya ‘’The Monster’’ Inoue will defend his undisputed world super bantamweight titles against Luis Nery of Mexico as the main event.

  Asked about Ishida having said during a recent press conference that he aims at a knockout victory in the upcoming title challenge, Inoue replied, ‘’I will not let him do anything because he cannot hit me at all.’’

  At present, Inoue has been sparring with Japanese featherweight champion and his stablemate Keisuke Matsumoto. This is because Ishida is tall and is good at throwing jabs like Matsumoto.

  Inoue retained his title for the first time by knocking out Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines in the ninth round on Feb. 24.

  Inoue has a record of 19 wins, including five KOs, against a loss, while the 32-year-old Ishida has a 34-3 win-loss tally with 17 KOs.