It takes a special fighter to carry their power through the weight divisions… and Naoya Inoue is special.
The Japanese hero entered the ring against WBC and WBO super bantamweight titleholder Stephen Fulton as a three-weight world champion. Less than half an hour later, he exited as a four-weight world ruler, unanimously lauded as the finest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.
Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) needed to make a statement to achieve that status and he did just that.
MORE: Inoue destroys Fulton to become a four-weight world champion
Like the legendary Manny Pacquiao, who also blazed through the lower weight classes, a four-pound jump seems to take nothing away from Inoue’s state-of-the-art weaponry. Fulton was cringing from the fierce power coming his way and was reluctant to engage throughout.
“You can run, but you can’t hide.”
It only took one flush bomb from Inoue and the fight was essentially over. A huge right froze Fulton dead in his tracks in the eighth and he was a sitting duck for Inoue’s follow-up left hook which landed with sickening impact. The champion bravely found his feet, but he was gone and the referee mercifully called a halt to the bout.
So, who’s going to stop “The Monster”?
Naoya Inoue next opponent
Well, Marlon Tapalas is the IBF and WBA titleholder, which means that Inoue has crossed hairs on his back. A win over the Filipino southpaw would see Inoue become a double undisputed world champion and he’d be heavily favored to prevail. Tapalas is undoubtedly world-level and looked good in dethroning the previously unbeaten Murodjon Akhmadaliev in April, but Inoue is now verging on all-time great status.
Regardless, we need to see the Tapalas fight and that would appear to be the next step.
Undisputed next? 🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/aIvVkfeoM0
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 25, 2023
Of course, beyond a Tapalas fight there is another question already looming for the four division champ. Yes, even after just a single fight at 122.
Should Naoya Inoue move up to featherweight?
Because of how destructive Inoue was against Fulton, there will be calls for the Japanese fighter to move up in weight again.
However, I would be against that... for now. Regardless of a fighter’s quality, rolling the dice with the scales too often can work against them. Many took that view when Canelo Alvarez was soundly outpointed by WBA light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol, though the Russian’s style and class clearly played a massive part in that triumph, too.
There are some excellent super bantamweights out there that Inoue could feast on should be defeat Tapalas. A matchup against Luis Nery is sure to produce fireworks, although the Mexican is banned from fighting in Japan after two ignominious KO wins over then-world champ Shinsuke Yamanaka in 2017 and 2018. Following the first bout, Nery tested positive for a banned substance, then he weighed in three pounds over the limit for the rematch. The Japanese commission was disgusted with his conduct and told him to stay away indefinitely. However, the patriotic Inoue may see a chance to restore national pride by taking revenge. Maybe we see that one in the U.S. or Mexico.
You wouldn’t write Inoue off at featherweight, but there’s no reason to rush it. While the likes of WBO champ Robeisy Ramirez and IBF titleholder Luis Alberto Lopez don’t have substantial height and wingspan advantages over Inoue, they are still significantly larger men. I would expect Inoue to go for a featherweight title in the future, but he should take his time at 122, just like he did at 118, where he resided for two-and-a-half years.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Naoya Inoue sparks pound-for-pound ratings debate
As an unapologetic super fan of Inoue for the past several years, I’m accustomed to seeing him do great things. Still, Tuesday's triumph, for me, was the finest of his career to date. He took Fulton apart effortlessly and closed the show in the blink of an eye. The pound-for-pound king now has the chance to become double undisputed in one more fight, which would be a remarkable accomplishment.
So devastating was Inoue that we vaulted him past Oleksandr Usyk and into the top spot. The only question for now is how long will he stay there?
Make no mistake, Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford have the chance to usurp Inoue in the pound-for-pound ratings this weekend.
MORE: Inoue claims the pound-for-pound No. 1 spot with Fulton triumph
But a controversial decision win from either side won’t get it done. A snore-bore 12-rounder won’t get it done. No, the welterweight champs better summon the spirit of Sugar Ray Robinson and bring that level of greatness to the T-Mobile Arena if they want to prove their superiority over “The Monster”.
Nothing less will do.
