It’s about time, US struggle followers have mentioned, and are saying. Japanese famous person, Naoya Inoue, will eventually return to America to struggle, this in “early subsequent 12 months.” So mentioned Bob Arum, this simply after “The Monster” had terrorised one more foe, the newest sufferer being a recreation however outgunned (aren’t all of them) TJ Doheny.
Inoue has not boxed within the US since June of 2021, and one of many knocks on Inoue – a fighter who’s, to all rational and agenda-free people, an nearly excellent combating machine – is the declare that he has “stayed at residence to struggle.”
Nicely, Inoue is a rock star in Japan, so who can blame him for commonly enjoying in entrance of sell-out crowds? One other seemingly pathetic criticism of Inoue, largely by the identical of us who appear nearly determined to see “The Monster” lose, is one that claims he has not but however MUST go as much as featherweight or past.
Why is an effective query? Inoue, in spite of everything, received his first world title (in simply his sixth professional bout) down, means down, at gentle flyweight. But on the banging drum goes: Inoue “has to struggle Tank Davies.”
And these likeminded folks scream and holler how Tank would “destroy” Inoue. Perhaps so, Tank is in fact a person who has received a title up at 140 kilos!
Again to the true world, and forgetting the “haters” (a time period I, effectively, please pardon the pun, hate to make use of) – who may Inoue struggle in his “celebration,” as Arum acknowledged, Inoue’s Vegas struggle in 2025 can be? It appears it will likely be obligatory towards Sam Goodman subsequent, in December, in Tokyo. However then who?
You realize what? It doesn’t actually matter. Inoue has now reached the standing, the privileged standing that solely the particular ones attain, the place they will just about struggle anybody, and nothing however an enormous crowd will present up. Suppose Ali, suppose Tyson, suppose Mayweather.
Inoue is now in that small group. Certain, Inoue nonetheless has to carry out, and to a level, he has to tackle a seemingly testing challenger, however Inoue has earned the luxurious of taking a struggle or fights he is aware of he’ll completely win.
That mentioned, there are a couple of attainable big-fight checks for Inoue in what can be his third outing in Vegas.
That transfer to 126 could effectively come at a time and a spot that Inoue sees match, however there’ll very in all probability be extra fights at 122 kilos first.
Three guys who might face Inoue in Vegas in, maybe, April or Could of 2025:
Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Inoue’s subsequent obligatory, former champ Akhmadaliev, has dared to say Inoue is afraid to struggle him. This match-up could be an actual deal with for US followers.
Junto Nakatani.
When Arum mentioned “celebration,” did he maybe imply a celebration of all issues nice in Japan? Little question, Inoue and present WBC bantamweight champ Nakatani are each nice, and so many people crave seeing them duke it out. However this struggle, maybe the most important ever in Japanese boxing historical past, belongs at residence? Or has Arum obtained different surprising plans?
That transfer as much as featherweight.
May Inoue make his subsequent transfer up the load divisions in Vegas? Perhaps, and towards any of the present champions at 126 kilos, Inoue could be making one heck of a return to Sin Metropolis.
Briefly, whoever Inoue fights, this in his subsequent struggle and in his struggle after that, all of us who recognize his energy, his talent, his IQ, and his sheer strategy can be making darn certain we tune in.
Inoue IS one of the best fighter on the planet in the present day. When you disagree, give us all one – only one – weak point you might have detected in “The Monster’s” recreation to show in any other case.
