WBA Bantamweight Champion Inoue taps ALA boxers as sparring partners

WBA Bantamweight World Champion Naoya Inoue of Japan (from left) is with ALA boxers Jeo Santisima and KJ Cataraja. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — World Boxing Association (WBA) Bantamweight Champion Naoya Inoue of Japan has tapped ALA Boxing Promotions KJ Cataraja and Jeo Santisima as his sparring partners.

Cataraja is the WBO Youth Super Flyweight champion while Santisima is the WBO Oriental Super Bantamweight champion.

The two ALA boxers are currently in Japan as they are helping Inoue prepare for his unification fight against International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bantamweight Champion Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico.

ALA Boxing Gym Trainer Edito Villamor said that Inoue had chosen both Cataraja and Santisima as his sparring partners because their styles had some similarities with that of Rodriguez. 

According to Villamor, this is a big boost for both boxers’ career. 

“Yes, it’s a big boost sa ilang career kay naka sparring sila ni Inoue mura ra gihapon nga niduwa sila ana kay mao mana ang pinaka nearest training sa boxing,” said Villamor.  “Nya nindot kaayo na sa ilang boxing career sa experience ug exposure to spar with a great fighter like Inoue.”

(“Yes, it’s a big boost to their careers because having to spar with Inoue is like being in a real boxing match because that is the nearest training to that in boxing,” said Villamor. “And that is good for their boxing careers in terms of experience and exposure to have to spar with a great fighter like Inoue.”) 

Whoever wins in the Inoue-Rodriguez bout will go up against the winner between WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Nonito Donaire of the Philippines and WBO Champion Zolani Tete for the World Boxing Super Series./dbs