Naoya Inoue to sign with Top Rank after WBSS tournament

[Ruthless-RKO]

Top Rank will be signing WBA World bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue after the World Boxing Super Series 118-pound tournament finishes up. Top Rank boss Bob Arum has plans on matching the unbeaten Inoue (17-0, 15 KOs) against former WBA Super World bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett, who he recently signed to his stable. Burnett (19-1, 9 KOs) will be fighting this Friday night on May 17 against Jelbirt Gomera (14-5, 7 KOs) in a 10 round fight for the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

This is a good signing by Top Rank of adding Inoue to their promotional team, as long as they’re going to match him against quality fighters. Top Rank recently signed former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and they’re matching him weakly against Tom Schwarz on June 15. Top Rank is expected to put Fury in with another poor opponent in September as well with hopes that the U.S boxing fans will fall in love with the 6’9″ British heavyweight. Inoue become a star in the U.S, but it won’t to it by fighting the likes of Ryan Burnett.

Top Rank matching Burnett against Tete, then Inoue

Burnett is expected to fight WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) first and then Inoue. Top Rank might want to think twice about putting Burnett in with the 31-year-old Tete before they match him against Inoue. Burnett will likely lose to Tete, and then there won’t be any point in matching him against Inoue. It’s unclear how many fights Top Rank has signed Burnett up for with their company. If they’re serious about wanting to put Burnett in with Tete and Inoue in back to back fights, it would be a good idea for the contract with Ryan to be a small one of just three fights. Burnett can beat the likes of Gomera, but Tete and Inoue are another matter.

Inoue has captured world titles at 112, 115 and 118. He hasn’t beaten any big name fighters unfortunately. He left the super flyweight division without facing Srisaket Sor Rungvisai or Juan Francisco Estrada.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Top Rank signing all the bantamweights.

[SenorPipino]

How about Nery too? A bantamweight showdown versus the Monster.

[Ruthless-RKO]

How about Nery too? A bantamweight showdown versus the Monster.

Is Nery staying at bant?

Who currently promotes him? Is it Zanfer?

Could do some co-promotional stuff, have him on ESPN.

[jamamb]

ya, um, i dont think tr should be treating burnett like its a given hell beat tete and then go onto inoue. unless they plan on making burnett-inoue right after that even if burnett loses

but i like this, now with these guys with tr we can see the best matchups that the wbss never got

[SenorPipino]

Is Nery staying at bant?

Who currently promotes him? Is it Zanfer?

Could do some co-promotional stuff, have him on ESPN.

Nery's last fight was at bantamweight. He swings back and forth between 118 and super bantam.

So there wouldn't be any hesitation on his part, I assume, to fight at 118 if a Inoue bout can be arranged.

Last I heard, Nery was with Zanfer. At that promotion group seems to have no problem working with other promoters. So maybe an Inoue-Nery bout can become reality within the next year.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Onetimeonly]

Joshua Greer will be next. Meh to that, but navarette would be good.

[Paci]

Top Rank signing all the bantamweights.

Oh! Arum is making moves!

Hoping for great fights in the near future in one of the OG divs.