Despite Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue being a clash of elite-level operators, there is a range of scenarios that could develop, some more likely than others. The pair collide at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo on July 25 and fight fans around the world eagerly await this confrontation.
The 29-year-old Fulton, who is defending his WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles, is known for his defensive prowess and sharpshooting. The unbeaten Philly technician is natural at the weight, he's never been down in a 21-fight career, and he's loaded with confidence.
Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) is "The Monster" of boxing. The Japanese star has already won titles in three divisions and he's taking on a unified champion in his debut at a fourth. His punching power has come up with him through the weights and Team Fulton will be praying that it doesn't come up any further.
While Inoue opened as favorite (-333 per BetMGM), Fulton is being given a greater chance of victory than any of his opponents to date (+260). Can the American champion retain his titles with a career-defining victory, or will Inoue devour him in front of his home fans?
The Sporting News takes a look at some of the prop bets available in this battle of unbeaten warriors.
MORE: Sign up to watch Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue on ESPN+
1. Gone in 60 seconds (+6600 per BetMGM)
Hey, stranger things have happened!
When Inoue moved up to the bantamweight division in 2018, he scored two first-round knockouts in succession. Neither Juan Carlos Payano nor Jamie McDonnell had ever been stopped in their respective careers, and McDonnell was unbeaten over the previous 10 years. Inoue iced both men without breaking sweat and it was those consecutive victories that introduced him to the boxing world at large.
This is Fulton's first time fighting outside the U.S. as a pro and we don't know how well he travels. If he freezes or makes a mistake against Inoue, he could find himself staring up at the arc lights in a hurry.
More: All you need to know about Fulton vs. Inoue
2. The fight will go the full 12-round distance (+100 per BetMGM)
Inoue's fighting philosophy is to inflict as much damage as possible, as quickly as possible, and there will be no holding back against Fulton.
However, Inoue is facing the biggest opponent of his career to date and that could be decisive. When Fulton turned professional in October 2014, he weighed in at 123 pounds. At that time, Inoue was just leaving the flyweight division, which has a limit of 108.
Fulton is much larger than Inoue, make no mistake, and if he can hold a shot, then the challenger might struggle to take him out inside schedule.
Given his low knockout percentage (38%) it's also highly unlikely that Fulton stops Inoue.
3. The fight goes less than 11 rounds (+100 per BetMGM)
This bet makes sense for Inoue backers. Given his incredible hitting power, a knockout or stoppage is always expected whenever the Japanese destroyer clocks in for work. Inoue has only been extended the distance on three occasions and he's only been 12 rounds twice (David Carmona in 2016 and Nonito Donaire in 2019).
Fulton has never been down, but the American was shaken up in a recent fight with Brandon Figueroa. If Figueroa's punches can produce an effect, then lasting the distance with an established knockout artist like Inoue will be a tall order.
