Takuma Inoue (left) and Jerwin Ancajas (right) do the traditional staredown after Friday’s weigh-in for their world title bout in Tokyo, Japan this Saturday, Feb. 24. | Photo from Phoenix Promotions.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—- Former world champion Jerwin Ancajas had to strip off his undergarments during Friday’s weigh-in to get the contracted weight for his world title duel against Japanese Takuma Inoue.
Ancajas and Inoue will fight for the World Boxing Association (WBA) world bantamweight crown on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue who stepped first on the weighing scales didn’t have any trouble and weighed in at 117.7 pounds, a bit lighter than the 118lbs weight limit.
READ: Ancajas on a mission to end Philippines’ world title drought in Japan
Meanwhile, Jerwin Ancajas was above the weight limit on his first trip to the weighing scale, forcing him to strip off his underwear.
On his next try, a naked Ancajas came in at 117.7 lbs.
Ancajas will attempt to snatch Inoue’s WBA world bantamweight belt.
If successful, Ancajas will become a two-division world champion after reigning for roughly nine years as the IBF world superflyweight king.
Jerein Ancajas, 32, has a record of 34 wins with 23 knockouts, three defeats, and two draws.
Inoue, 28, has an 18-1 (win-loss) record with four knockouts.
READ: Jonas Sultan to face Japanese newcomer Riku Masuda in non-title showdown on Nov. 15
Fighting in the undercard is Ancajas’ former rival, now stablemate, Jonas “Zorro” Sultan who will go up against Riku Masuda.
Sultan and Masuda weighed in at 117.5 lbs for their eight-rounder non-title bout in the undercard.
Sultan, a former WBO Inter-continental bantamweight champion, will make his debut in the lucrative Japanese boxing scene.
He has a 19-6 (win-loss) record with 11 knockouts, while Masuda has a 3-1 (win-loss) record with three knockouts.