What’s Next For Takuma Inoue After Beating Tenshin Nasukawa In Their Rematch?

What is next for Takuma Inoue, and why does it make so much sense for it to be Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez?

Inoue (23-2, 5 KOs) defeated Tenshin Nasukawa (8-2, 3 KOs) for the second time in one calendar year on Saturday night in Japan. With the victory, Inoue made his second WBC bantamweight title defense since defeating Nasukawa for the belt in November.

Inoue is better known as the younger brother of future Hall of Famer Naoya Inoue. Unlike his big bro, Takuma is better known for using speed to defeat his foes rather than relying on timing and power. With a rather barren division, Inoue joins a short list of exciting talent in a bantamweight division that is revamping after his brother left.

Let’s look at what could be next for him

Rodriguez defeated Antonio Vargas to win the WBA bantamweight title in his debut. Rodriguez showed some vulnerabilities in the fight, but he was immediately rumored to face Takuma’s big brother at a higher weight class. A simple bout to make would be Rodriguez versus Takuma at the weight class Rodriguez now fights at in Japan. The bout could either be a defining moment for Takuma or set the stage for a mega-fight between Bam and Inoue.

Tsutsumi is the modern-day Kazuto Ioka. Really friggin’ good, and not many Americans care. He holds a win over Takuma and won a competitive fight in December against Nonito Donaire. If Takuma wants some get-back, that would be a heavily anticipated rematch among boxing nerds around the world.

Salas holds the IBF title, and I will always remember him for making a strong impression on the ProBox TV card. He won the belt in December and has been inactive since. Salas is a very good fighter who is flying under the radar, and a matchup between the two could lead to some classic brawls.

With consecutive stoppage wins over Donaire and Daigo Higa, Masuda is looming large in the division. It might not be the most interesting fight for a global audience, but it is the most compelling bout between a Japanese up-and-comer and a champion.

Moloney is highly ranked by the WBC and is a former beltholder. It is a good fight and could be paired as a regional rivalry, given Sam Goodman’s recent success in Japan, where he won an interim belt.