Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue | Sky Sports - 25 July 2023

[Sweet Dick Willie]

Some very good fights coming up this week

Yes and still no legal way to watch them in my country

[Glass Joe]

Would have been a good week to watch the fight in Japan, then go to Vegas

Some very good fights coming up this week

Yes and still no legal way to watch them in my country

once you get a nice fishing rod that sort of thing doesnt matter.

[Sweet Dick Willie]

Would have been a good week to watch the fight in Japan, then go to Vegas

Some very good fights coming up this week

Yes and still no legal way to watch them in my country

once you get a nice fishing rod that sort of thing doesnt matter.

Its been hard to find

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Stats and Stakes

Stephen Fulton

Age: 29
Title: WBO Jr. Featherweight (2021-Present, 2 Defenses); WBC Super Bantamweight (2021-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’6 ½
Weight: 122 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Record: 21-0, 8 KO
Press Rankings: #1 (TBRB, Ring, ESPN)
Record in Major Title Fights: 3-0
Last Five Opponents: 102-3-3 (.958)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Angelo Leo UD12, Brandon Figueroa MD12; Daniel Roman UD12
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Paulus Ambunda UD12

vs.

Naoya Inoue

Age: 30
Title: None
Previous Titles: WBC light flyweight (2014, 1 Defense); WBO Jr. bantamweight (2014-18, 7 defenses); Lineal/TBRB World Bantamweight (2021-23, 1 Defense); Ring Magazine/IBF Bantamweight (2019-23, 6 Defenses); WBA Bantamweight (2019-23, 5 Defenses*); WBO Bantamweight (2022-23)
Height: 5’5
Weight: 121 ¾ lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Record: 24-0, 21 KO
Press Rankings: #1 at 118 lbs. (ESPN, BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 17-0, 15 KO (19-0, 17 KO including sub-title fights)
Last Five Opponents: 139-13-1 (.912)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Ryoichi Taguchi UD10; Adrian Hernandez TKO6; Omar Narvaez KO2; Kohei Kono TKO6; Jamie McDonnell TKO1; Juan Carlos Payano KO1; Emanuel Rodriguez KO2; Nonito Donaire UD12, TKO2; Jason Moloney KO7; Paul Butler KO11
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None

*Also won and defended a WBA sub-title at bantamweight in 2018

[Ruthless-RKO]

How to watch Fulton vs Inoue

United States

The fights will stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S., which you can get for $9.99/month or an annual $99.99/year as a standalone subscription.

Elsewhere
United Kingdom and Ireland: Sky Sports
Japan: Lemino
Canada: TSN+
Australia: Kayo

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MightyWarrior]

I now like Fulton a lot, the balls on him going over there to take on the rock fisted monster ( Literally, his coach might say ) I loved the look on his face when his coach was talking about pulling out of the fight. hilarious

The Japanese assassin looks near unbeatable in his own backyard, but as we know, there’s no such thing.

I can’t see the man from Philly getting the decision tomorrow though, and he’d need to be very aggressive to do so, which might spell curtains.

I’m also worried he might be overly confident in his chin, having never been visibly hurt ( I assume) he’s going to have to be very careful in the early rounds and I hope coach has a great plan, and drills into him he can’t get hit flush and can’t be dropping those hands.
They breed them tough in the city of brotherly love though!

[Spud]

I now like Fulton a lot, the balls on him going over there to take on the rock fisted monster ( Literally, his coach might say ) I loved the look on his face when his coach was talking about pulling out of the fight. hilarious

The Japanese assassin looks near unbeatable in his own backyard, but as we know, there’s no such thing.

I can’t see the man from Philly getting the decision tomorrow though, and he’d need to be very aggressive to do so, which might spell curtains.

I’m also worried he might be overly confident in his chin, having never been visibly hurt ( I assume) he’s going to have to be very careful in the early rounds and I hope coach has a great plan, and drills into him he can’t get hit flush and can’t be dropping those hands.
They breed them tough in the city of brotherly love though!

[Spud]

The problem is Fulton is not seen as a puncher and I cannot see the superstar ofJapan losing on a points decision in his hometown.

My initial thoughts are, I think Fulton will be knocked down in the early rounds, can he grt back up abd do enough to win the fight.

Its a great fight, a real treat for the boxing fan, but I can see this being highly controversial and the fight being called a draw but us lot thinking Fulton won.

There will be a rematch

[TheLeprechaun]

I think Fulton should outbox him to a decision. We know the cards are already filled out in advance so I wouldn't expect him to get the decision.

[tonyevs]

I think there is always a tendency to overrate USA fighters ... I can't believe Elijah Pierce write;

"don’t believe Inoue has ever been in the ring with an African American fighter before and that’s a very pivotal piece of the puzzle"

Talk about racist .. truly seeing African American as superior simply by being an African American

[tony1234]

How to watch Fulton vs Inoue

United States

The fights will stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S., which you can get for $9.99/month or an annual $99.99/year as a standalone subscription.

Elsewhere
United Kingdom and Ireland: Sky Sports
Japan: Lemino
Canada: TSN+
Australia: Kayo

0930 to 1400 on SKY so not sure what time the main event will be

[Finkel]

How to watch Fulton vs Inoue

United States

The fights will stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S., which you can get for $9.99/month or an annual $99.99/year as a standalone subscription.

Elsewhere
United Kingdom and Ireland: Sky Sports
Japan: Lemino
Canada: TSN+
Australia: Kayo

0930 to 1400 on SKY so not sure what time the main event will be

Well they will likely try to stick to the listed main event of 9pm, which is 1pm UK time. It's a work night and public transportation ends quite early in Japan.

[Ruthless-RKO]

How to watch Fulton vs Inoue

United States

The fights will stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S., which you can get for $9.99/month or an annual $99.99/year as a standalone subscription.

Elsewhere
United Kingdom and Ireland: Sky Sports
Japan: Lemino
Canada: TSN+
Australia: Kayo

0930 to 1400 on SKY so not sure what time the main event will be

Well they will likely try to stick to the listed main event of 9pm, which is 1pm UK time. It's a work night and public transportation ends quite early in Japan.

That is right. 1pm latest.

[Boxerbeetle]

I’ve got a half day tomorrow, last meeting finishes at 12:45. Fingers crossed timings work out

[Fearful_Freddie]

0930 to 1400 on SKY so not sure what time the main event will be

Well they will likely try to stick to the listed main event of 9pm, which is 1pm UK time. It's a work night and public transportation ends quite early in Japan.

That is right. 1pm latest.

The trains run until about 1 a.m. Lived there for 10 years and caught the last train a few times. Can see Monster marmalising him.

[Glass Joe]

I'm going to watch on my phone

[Ruthless-RKO]

Inoue looked very pissed off at the final face to face.

[handsofstone]

As luck would have it I took a week off this week so it's worked out perfect, reckon I'll get up early, shower, tidy etc so I'm settled for it starting, least that way I'll not have all that to do later, buzzing man

[TheLeprechaun]

I'm assuming Fulton can do better than Paul butler of all people, in terms of going rounds. If it comes to Fulton fighting very negatively, sure he can do better than butler, who was able to brace himself and take the shots remember. Fulton shows a higher skill set, good stamina. Butler was only in there to survive though which has to be remembered but it was still very disappointing to be taken that far vs Paul butler for a man coming in with the reputation of inoue. You would think inoue was the second coming of sonny liston when he was coming through and champ, in terms of reputation. A quick demolition of Fulton would shut me up though.

[MightyWarrior]

I think there is always a tendency to overrate USA fighters ... I can't believe Elijah Pierce write;

"don’t believe Inoue has ever been in the ring with an African American fighter before and that’s a very pivotal piece of the puzzle"

Talk about racist .. truly seeing African American as superior simply by being an African American

I noticed that, and he’s not the only one I mean I don’t mind, and know what they mean, the p4p American greats are usually African American …..just a bit arrogant and jarring lol

ANSON WAINWRIGHT: INOUE UD
. It will mark the first time Inoue has fought an elite African-American opponent,

[Ruthless-RKO]

Date: Tuesday July 25, 2023
Location: Ariake Arena - Tokyo, Japan
TV/Stream: ESPN+ | Main Event on Kayo

Start Times
ESPN+: 4:30 am ET | 1:30 am PT | 6:30 pm AEST | 9 pm JST (Main Card)
Sky Sports: 9:30 am BST (Main Card)

Promoted by: Ohashi Promotions & Top Rank Inc.

Main Card

Unified WBC & WBO Super-Bantamweight Championship
Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue

WBO Featherweight Championship
Robeisy Ramirez vs. Satoshi Shimizu

8 Round Light-Flyweight Bout
Kanamu Sakama vs. Ryu Horikawa

8 Round Super-Bantamweight Bout
Yoshiki Takei vs. Ronnie Baldonado

Prelims Card

8 Round Super-Featherweight Bout
Chihiro Iwashita vs. Hiroyuki Takahara

8 Round Lightweight Bout
Taiga Imanaga vs. Hebi Marapu

6 Round Super-Flyweight Bout
Yuki Kajitani vs. Masato Shinoda

4 Round Featherweight Bout
Kenta Yamakawa vs. Ryosuke Nakamura

4 Round Minimumweight Bout
Takero Kitano vs. Kenta Kawakami

[MightyWarrior]

9:30am bloody ell. Hadn’t realised hot shot Robeisy Ramirez was on there, saw the Cuban generals have signaled the national anthem cannot be played before his fight…

Maybe the Far Eastern experts on here can let us know if there’s any other standouts to watch out for

Wonder who the comms will be, Tim Bradley and co? Not too bad I guess.

So, as far as I can see, Satoshi Shimizu is a very tall southpaw, who like the champion was a decorated amateur and also a 2012 Olympic medalist, ( bronze, lost to cool hand Luke ) and was being fast tracked, as he’s quite old, before getting derailed a few years back with an upset KO.
He’s getting gifted a shot against Ramirez as he’s the monsters stablemate. Maybe he can mess Ramirez around for 12, but more likely the extremely vicious Ramirez is banging him out by half way.

[MightyWarrior]

Damn they’ve given us that absolute goofball Crystina Poncher on intl feed, I even tuned into the Canadian channel TSN and she’s on there too, no escape