Former featherweight king Barry McGuigan, writing in his traditional column for The Mirror, praises Japanese famous person Naoya Inoue, and the Irish legend says he feels “The Monster” may go as excessive as tremendous featherweight earlier than he’s completed. McGuigan, like the remainder of us, has been mightily impressed by 31-year-old Inoue, a modern-day nice who has already received world titles at 4 weights.
McGuigan says Inoue may be “the toughest pound-for-pound puncher on the earth” proper now, and the previous champ who lit up the decrease weights of the game himself again within the Nineteen Eighties provides of Inoue how “his development from light-flyweight world champion to super-bantamweight king is in contrast to something I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
“And he doesn’t seem like he’s stopping there,” Barry added.
Like so many followers, McGuigan want to see Inoue field within the US once more, and McGuigan would additionally prefer to see Inoue invade not solely the featherweight division, but in addition the 130 pound division.
“Some suppose he can’t go increased. I disagree. I believe he can go up once more as a result of he has the scale to do it. He most likely hits with the ability of a super-lightweight,” McGuigan writes. “He seems to be like he’s not doing a lot and even making an attempt laborious. He has an excellent physique however not one that implies explosive energy. At light-flyweight, he was crammed in. He doesn’t look overly large now, however he has carried his energy ahead. Who is aware of what the restrict is? He would possibly even attain super-featherweight. It’s really outstanding.”
It actually can be fairly one thing if Inoue have been in a position to transfer up TWO extra weight divisions and conquer each. Inoue a six-weight world champion? It’s attainable, as McGuigan factors out. As for Inoue boxing once more in America, that is on the playing cards for subsequent yr. In distinction, the large one – as within the greatest battle in Japanese boxing historical past – is a possible thriller within the type of Inoue Vs. Junto Nakatani. That battle, if/when it occurs, will certainly happen in Japan, perhaps at The Tokyo Dome.
However McGuigan says Inoue is now a “world determine” and, subsequently, must battle outdoors of Japan.
“I get it. If you’re packing out halls in Japan, you will need to keep there, in entrance of an enormous crowd that helps you,” McGuigan continues in his column. “However he’s a worldwide determine now. He must export that expertise so we are able to all respect him for absolutely the rock star he’s.”
Agreed.
Inoue, 28-0(25) has boxed within the UK earlier than, and the way nice would it not be for we UK battle followers if he did so once more? This can be unlikely, nonetheless. Nonetheless, a “celebration” battle in Vegas beckons, as Bob Arum mentioned earlier this week. For positive, Naoya Inoue now has the complete consideration of the entire world.
