HAVING lost two of his last three fights, Jerwin "The Pretty Boy" Ancajas faces a must-win situation on February 24, when he faces defending World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight (118 pounds) champion Takuma Inoue of Japan.

Ancajas, 34-2, 2 draws with 23 knockouts, enjoyed a lengthy reign as International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight (115 pounds) champ, holding the belt from 2016 until 2022.

Ancajas' reign as junior bantamweight king came to a halt in February 2022, when he was outgunned in 12 rounds by Fernando Daniel Martinez of Argentina. In a rematch held in October 2022, Martinez was even more dominant, literally hammering Ancajas in 12 rounds.

Ancajas looked shopworn in the return bout with Martinez and there were loose whispers that his career may have hit the nadir. Still, there were those who mused that Ancajas overstayed at junior bantamweight and that a move up in weight will reinvigorate his career.

Ancajas bulked up in his next fight, tipping the scales at around 122 pounds (junior featherweight) for his June 2023 nontitle bout opposite Colombian Wilner Soto.

Ancajas was noticeably stronger in the Soto fight as he beat up his foe and stopped him in five rounds. Ancajas landed three vicious body shots that flattened Soto in the fifth stanza.

The Soto fight, of course, was more of a confidence-building fight. The Colombian had lost six straight fights going in and was really fed to Ancajas as a sacrificial lamb.

Ancajas' fight with Inoue will determine if the Filipino still has enough fistic mojo left.

Takuma Inoue, 18-1 with 4 knockouts, is the younger brother of current undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya "The Monster" Inoue.

Takuma started boxing at an early age, inspired by his brother Naoya. Takuma took up boxing while in elementary school and turned pro in December 2013 when he was barely 18 years old.

So confident was Takuma of his skills that for his first opponent in the pro ranks, he took on former World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim minimumweight champion Tatsuya Fukuhara. Takuma won by unanimous decision.

Takuma looked so good early in this career that The Ring magazine named him Prospect of the Year in 2015.

In November 2019, Takuma battled Frenchman Nordine Oubaali for the WBC bantamweight championship. Oubaali dominated Takuma, knocking him down in the fourth round on his way to a unanimous decision.

Takuma showed grit but failed to solve Oubaali's southpaw stance. Takuma has since won five straight fights. In April 2023, he defeated Liborio Solis of Venezuela by decision to win the WBA bantamweight title, the same title vacated by Naoya Inoue.

Takuma had the easiest path to the WBA bantamweight throne vacated by his brother. Solis was already 41 years old and was still able to outwork the hesitant Takuma in the early rounds. Takuma did dominate the rest of the way.

Takuma has beaten a number of Filipino boxers, notably Mark Anthony Geraldo (who beat Ancajas in 2012), Froilan Saludar, Mark John Yap, and Jade Bornea.

Takuma, however, figures to be tested to the hilt by Ancajas.

Unlike his brother, Takuma is not known as a heavy puncher. In fact, he has scored only one stoppage win in the last four years. Takuma nonetheless offers a high-octane offense. He loves to stand in front of an opponent and throw combinations. Takuma, however, does not really move his head well and tends to drop his hands too low. When Takuma fought Oubaali, he was repeatedly tagged by the latter's left hand. Like Oubaali, Ancajas is a southpaw.

Ancajas has been installed as an underdog and for a reason.

Ancajas, 32, has not fought at bantamweight and looked very vulnerable in his rematch with Martinez. There was a point in the Martinez rematch where Ancajas absorbed a heavy shelling and looked as though he would cave in.

Ancajas will have to move in and out, throw the jab and set up that killer left straight of his. The fact Takuma offers little punching power and tends to start slow should serve as Ancajas' incentive to take charge. Ancajas cannot afford to be flatfooted as Takuma will end up peppering him with combinations.

Ancajas-Inoue should be a very interesting scuffle. A prime Ancajas would have been a clear favorite, but he is coming into this fight an enigma.

Inoue has been inactive since April 2023 and is coming off a rib injury.

Ancajas is a good body puncher and you can bet he will test Takuma's breadbasket.

Ancajas' career hangs in the balance. He needs nothing less than a spectacular win against Takuma to get his career back on track.

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