Japan’s Takuma Inoue and Venezuela’s Liborio Solis will contest the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight world title on April 8 at the Ariake Arena in Koto-Ku, Japan. 

The pioneering organization’s Championships Committee ordered the bout between the two top-ranked featherweights after Naoya Inoue decided to vacate all 118-pound belts to move up one weight class. 

Takuma is ranked No. 2 in the WBA rankings, while South American Solis is ranked No. 3, giving them the right to fight for the black and gold crown. 

Inoue is a 27-year-old fighter who is a former WBC interim world champion and has also held regional titles from various world bodies. He comes into this fight on a four-fight winning streak and with all the motivation of being at home for such an important event. 

Solis, on the other hand, is a veteran former world champion in the super featherweight division and several times challenger to the bantamweight title. At 40 years of age, he got the opportunity he has been looking for in recent years and is ready to surprise as a visitor. He is used to fighting in Japan, and in fact, he was crowned in this country in 2013 when he defeated Kohei Kono. 

Inoue has a record of 17 wins, 1 loss and 4 knockouts. Solis has a record of 35 wins, 6 setbacks, 1 draw and 16 knockouts.