Moment of truth for Ancajas, Inoue

TOKYO For awhile during Friday's official weigh-in, there was hushed silence in the room when Jerwin Ancajas, the Filipino challenger, was told to strip naked in front of the scales.

- ABAC CORDERO

A white bath towel held on both ends by fight officials shielded the 32-year-old Ancajas from members of the press. Then the official announcement was made: Ancajas, 117 ¾ pounds.

Takuma Inoue, the WBA bantamweight (118 lbs) champion from Japan, tipped the scales ahead of Ancajas, and in his purple trunks, was ripped and more comfortable with an identical 117 ¾ pounds.

It meant the fight was on.

On Saturday evening at the historic Kokugikan Arena, built in 1909 to become the epicenter of Japanese sumo wrestling, Ancajas and Inoue will lock horns for a scheduled 12-round title fight.

It’s the first time Ancajas, who had practically seen the world building a ring record of 34-3-2 with 23 knockouts, is fighting in Japan where the weather remained as cold as ice.