Naoya Inoue: "I Can Go as Far as Featherweight!"

[Ruthless-RKO]

Naoya Inoue: I Can Go as Far as Featherweight!

On Tuesday, Naoya Inoue became the ninth fighter to unify all four major titles in boxing's four-belt era.

Inoue is now looking to become the only male fighter to accomplish the feat in two weight classes.

"I believe I'm going to aim for it," Inoue said. "We'll need to develop a thorough plan."

The Japanese star will be heading up to 122-pounds, after knocking out British fighter Paul Butler in eleven rounds to unify the IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC world bantamweight titles.

Inoue plans to return on a date in April or May of the coming year.

The world titles at 122-pounds are owned by two undefeated fighters, Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Stephen Fulton of the United States - with each boxer holding two belts.

A super bantamweight title would give Inoue championships in four different weight classes and make him the second Japanese to manage that after Kazuto Ioka did it in 2019.

Hideyuki Ohashi, the chairman of Inoue's Ohashi Boxing Gym, believes Inoue will still perform like the same destrucive fighter in the new weight class.

"The higher he moves up in weight class, the more his quality stands out," Ohashi said.

The dangerous puncher, who turns 30-years-old in April, is not looking to stop his title winning rung at 122. He believes that he can max out his body at the featherweight limit of 126-pounds.

"I can go as far as featherweight," the fighter has said.

Winning championships in five weight divisions would match the accomplishment of the Nonito Donaire, who Inoue idolized. - and ironically Inoue also holds two impressive wins over Donaire.

[Mexi-Box]

Isn't he about the same height as Pacquiao? I'd love to see if he can at least do 130. 135 might be insane, though. Guys like Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney would make him look tiny. Makes me appreciate Pacquiao more btw. Imagine Donaire or Inoue fighting a prime Miguel Cotto.

[Evander]

Didn't look all that to me.
Butler offered very little in return.

[keithmoonhangover]

Didn't look all that to me.
Butler offered very little in return.

I certainly wouldn't want to chare the ring with him.

[Thomastearns]

Didn't look all that to me.
Butler offered very little in return.

I certainly wouldn't want to chare the ring with him.

When you're as good as Inoue the rest can seem mediocre.

It's quite a compliment that a fighter like Butler employs those defensive tactics.

If he wants to move up then that's up to him, but there's nothing wrong with being an all time great dominant champion at one particular weight.

As long as you fight all comers and keep winning of course.

[1061430]

No big fights for him at his current weight.
Makes sense for him to move up if he’s confident he won’t lose power by doing so.

[AngryGoon38]

Inoue vs Lomachenko.

That's the Ultimate Bout to me.

[KiwiRider]

I don't think taller guys will be that much problem, he dismantled Jamie Mcdonald who is a super tall Bantam. Plain folded him in half.

As for power in Super Bantam, dunno. Donaire can bang and didn't seem to trouble Inoue, that's a fairly decent test for SBW at least.

[Mexi-Box]

I don't think taller guys will be that much problem, he dismantled Jamie Mcdonald who is a super tall Bantam. Plain folded him in half.

As for power in Super Bantam, dunno. Donaire can bang and didn't seem to trouble Inoue, that's a fairly decent test for SBW at least.

Donaire carried his power to FW. Pretty sure he hurt everyone he fought there, IIRC. I think Inoue can do the same. FW isn't strong at all atm. Inoue/Vargas sounds like an oddly good matchup.

[skanksta]

Didn't look all that to me.
Butler offered very little in return.

That was what was so impressive tho'.
We all know Butler isn't some super-elite beast or anything silly, but he IS a dominant Brit Champ, Good Euro champ guy. Such a competent all-rounder, he's the very definition of "acceptable WT challenger" and Inoue was so obviously many, many levels above him in every department.
He didn't just 'beat' Butler, they say in chess - he "adopted" him.

[Thomastearns]

I don't think taller guys will be that much problem, he dismantled Jamie Mcdonald who is a super tall Bantam. Plain folded him in half.

As for power in Super Bantam, dunno. Donaire can bang and didn't seem to trouble Inoue, that's a fairly decent test for SBW at least.

Inoue is one tough dude.

Donaire broke his eye socket yet Inoue continued as if nothing had happened.

That kind of mental strength is rarely seen in boxing today.

I think it's fair to say that both Usyk and Inoue are already up there with anyone in boxing history.

[squiggy]

I think he broke his eye socket early in the fight, too. Had to hurt him a lot more than any other opponent had. And yet he was just completely savage throughout, and would have actually stopped Donaire in that fight too, had that body shot knockdown been handled professionally at all.

[Fightdoctor]

A certain Uzbek may have a strong opinion about Monster moving up. I'm salivating over that match-up.

[margaret thatcher]

A certain Uzbek may have a strong opinion about Monster moving up. I'm salivating over that match-up.

me too, love that fight. no idea why people arent talking about that one more, it's a way funner fight than inoue-fulton

[adislav123]

I don't think taller guys will be that much problem, he dismantled Jamie Mcdonald who is a super tall Bantam. Plain folded him in half.

As for power in Super Bantam, dunno. Donaire can bang and didn't seem to trouble Inoue, that's a fairly decent test for SBW at least.

Inoue is one tough dude.

Donaire broke his eye socket yet Inoue continued as if nothing had happened.

That kind of mental strength is rarely seen in boxing today.

I think it's fair to say that both Usyk and Inoue are already up there with anyone in boxing history.

there's countless different ways your eyesocket can suffer a fracture. same goes for the jaw or other facial bone structure.

if a fighter can or can't continue with a broken eyesocket or jaw got nothing to do with different levels of 'mental strength' in boxers back then compared to now.

only if the fracture is of the sort that actually allows you to crack on or not.

some fractures simply won't allow you to continue. period.

u could be 'mentally strong' or full on mental how much you want, WITH SOME FRACTURES OF THE FACIAL BONE STRUCTURE IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE FIGHTING/GETTING HIT IN THE FACE.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO gives Naoya Inoue bantamweight super champion status

Naoya Inoue was awarded the status of bantamweight super champion in the World Boxing Organization’s latest rankings, giving him priority for a title shot if he moves up to challenge American Stephen Fulton in the weight division above.

Inoue became the first Japanese boxer to unify all four major titles on Dec. 13 when he beat British former champion Paul Butler in an 11th-round knockout. The WBO ranked Inoue its bantamweight super champion as of Dec. 14.

After the bout, Inoue, nicknamed “Monster,” declared his intent to move up to super bantamweight in hopes of unifying a second division.

A WBO rule stipulates that a super champion qualifies for “eligibility to be considered for designation as the mandatory challenger in (a) higher or lower division” upon the boxer’s request.

Fulton, 21-0 in his career, is the current super bantamweight champion in both the WBO and World Boxing Council.

Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan, 11-0 as a pro, holds the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Association belts in the division.

A super bantamweight title would give Inoue championships in four different weight classes, having previously moved through the light flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight divisions.

Kazuto Ioka won the WBO super flyweight title in 2019 to become the only Japanese to have achieved that feat. He defends that belt against American Joshua Franco on Dec. 31 at the Ota City General Gymnasium.

[Mexi-Box]

I'd love to see Inoue move up. BW is finished. Who there poses a threat? The only one was Donaire who he beat twice. I can't see Fulton beating him, but his size does make it interesting. I can imagine Inoue will only struggle at FW, maybe. Inoue is effective against tall guys, but a focused Navarrete is tough, extremely awkward, gigantic, and hits hard. Only person I can imagine beating Inoue. Maybe Rey Vargas. Anyways, I can't see Inoue struggling at SBW. FW is the only division I'd be interested in seeing him at right now.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

monster vs murodjon, get it on

[adislav123]

fulton or akhmaduliaejev. or Monster makes a double step and takes in vargas or navarette. who got the 4th belt up there?

couple of punds don't Matter. those guys are all the same Size