Former top amateur boxer Katsuaki Susa is extending a helping hand to Takuma Inoue, a younger brother of Naoya ‘’the Monster’’ Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym, in his fight with Liborio Solis of Venezuela for the vacant World Boxing Association bantamweight title on Apr. 8 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

The 38-year-old Susa, head of the coaching committee of the Asian Boxing Confederation, represented Japan in the 2012 London Olympics but lost to an eventual gold medalist Robeisy Ramírez of Cuba in the flyweight first round. Susa retired after the fight.

Susa was known for his pointed advice, and Naoya Inoue is said to have sought his advice actively during the latter’s amateur days.

The 27-year-old Takuma Inoue, the WBA’s second-ranked bantamweight, lost his World Boxing Council bantamweight interim title to then WBC champion Nordine Oubaali of France in the title unification fight in November 2019.

Takuma has a record of 17 wins, including four knockouts, against a loss, while the third-ranked Solis, 40, has a 35-6-1 win-loss-draw tally with 16 KOs.
Photo by Ohashi Boxing Gym