It appears fairly clear to everybody that Naoya Inoue is a very unbelievable fighter, a generational expertise, a future Corridor of Famer, and nearly definitely a fighter who’s destined to be ranked as an all-time nice. Certainly, Inoue, as super-special as he’s, may have competed in ANY period. Are you able to checklist a weak spot Inoue has? Only one? No, as a result of there are zero holes in his sport.
Punching energy? In fact, with Inoue having venom in each fingers, the choice open to him so far as whether or not he takes a rival out with a head shot or a physique shot. Chin? Strong as a rock. Inoue has been hit, however he has not as soon as been noticeably harm in a struggle, and Inoue has been in there with some good punchers. Stamina? To die for. Has Inoue ever seemed drained in a struggle? No, he has not, this attributable to his unbelievable work ethic and the truth that he lives the life, by no means placing on an excessive amount of weight between fights. It additionally helps a bunch that Inoue is 100% a professional, a person who by no means takes any opponent as a right or appears to be like previous the person in entrance of him.
Inoue has additionally proven, in a world title marketing campaign that has seen him rule at gentle flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight, and tremendous bantamweight, that his pace and energy have gone up in weight with him. Inoue, at age 30, is getting higher and higher, higher and higher. “The Monster’s” tenth spherical stoppage win over a sport and at occasions fairly tough Marlon Tapales was a pleasure to look at, the sight of greatness unfolding earlier than one’s eyes all the time nothing however a deal with.
And the way far more can Inoue, 25-0(23) go on to realize?
Within the opinion of loads of us, there could also be solely two issues that may defeat Inoue – age and too massive a leap up in weight. There was a time, not all that way back, when the age of 30 and past induced issues for decrease weight fighters who’re reliant on their reflexes. Inoue, regardless of having expertise which were known as ‘otherworldly,’ is in actual fact human, and at some point, if he’s nonetheless preventing, Father Time will meet up with him. However as clear as he lives, as recent as he stays after being a professional for a bit over 11 years, and as free as he has been from something like punishing fights, it could possibly be a while earlier than Inoue falls sufferer to Father Time.
So, within the meantime, this leaves simply weight, and Inoue making the error of making an attempt to placed on an excessive amount of as he seeks but extra world titles. However Inoue is a great man, and he has mentioned that, for now, the 122 pound division is “my division.” Don’t go anticipating Inoue to do something silly like making an attempt to go as much as featherweight earlier than he totally believes he’s prepared, with it being potential that the Japanese celebrity won’t ever really attempt his hand above 122. By the best way, talking about foolishness, can any discuss of a struggle between Inoue and Tank Davis please stop? Tank is totally and so clearly far too massive for Inoue, as anybody who isn’t carrying the agenda of being hell-bent on seeing Inoue get overwhelmed agrees.
No, Inoue will proceed to dominate at 122 kilos for the foreseeable future, and he’ll solely transfer up searching for a fifth world title when he’s good and prepared, if in any respect. Subsequent up, it could possibly be Luis Nery for Inoue (with this struggle already being hinted at for Could), or possibly Murodjon Akhmadaliev, with Sam Goodman additionally talked about as a potential dance companion for Inoue in 2024.
However can any 122 pounder on the market defeat Inoue? Heck, it’s a tricky activity for a fighter to win rounds towards Inoue, not to mention really defeat him, so supreme is Inoue in all departments. An ideal preventing machine? If there may be such a factor, Inoue would possibly simply be it.
Inoue might also be nicely on his manner in direction of choosing up the Fighter of the Yr award for 2023, and “The Monster” could be positioned on the prime of the pile on plenty of year-end pound-for-pound lists. Inoue has a military of followers, supporters, and admirers, who really feel he greater than deserves each.
