BoxRec

Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery Planned For May, Says Nery Promoter Fernando Beltran

Unified junior featherweight champions Naoya Inoue and Marlon Tapales will be fighting for the undisputed crown on Dec. 26 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Former bantamweight and junior featherweight titlist and current 122-pound WBC mandatory challenger Luis Nery is patiently waiting to get a crack at the winner.

Should the -1400 betting favorite Inoue be the victor and decide to defend his crown at 122 pounds instead of moving up to 126 pounds, Zanfer Boxing head and Nery promoter Fernando Beltran already has big plans for his southpaw slugger.

“If Inoue does good, for sure we probably will meet Inoue in May,” Beltran told BS.com in an interview. “So honestly, I feel very confident in this fight. It’s a very good fight. I really believe that Nery is one of the best fighters, if not the best 122 pounder … I think [Inoue] will wait for Nery, and I believe Nery wins the fight.”

Beltran’s decades-long relationship with Inoue co-promoter Top Rank should factor in to get a potential deal done with relative ease. The fight would most likely be staged in Japan, where Inoue is a massive draw.

Nery wrote on social media on Thursday “big news” with emojis showing the Japanese flag, and an icon declaring soon.

The Tijuana-born and bred boxer is viewed as a villain of sorts in Japan, and Inoue has previously declared that a fight with Nery is the reason why he would remain at 122 pounds.

In 2017, Nery scored a fourth-round TKO win against long-reigning Japanese bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka in Kyoto. Nery tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol following the fight, a violation the WBC later labeled as contamination.

In the 2018 rematch against Yamanaka in Japan, Nery was three pounds overweight, lost his title on the scale, and received what was considered at the time a lifetime ban by the Japanese Boxing Commission. Nery ended up knocking out Yamanaka in two rounds; Yamanaka hasn’t fought since.

In recent years, Nery has fought through more weight issues and trainer changes while suffering his lone career loss to Brandon Figueroa in 2021. He’s also declared that Inoue doesn’t live up to his moniker of being “the monster.”

Nery has since bounced back and delivered a fight of the contending stoppage win against Azat Hovhannisyan in February.

The 29-year-old Nery last fought in July and scored a second-round TKO win against Froilan Saludar in Mexico.

Pretty sure Nery is banned for life in Japan.

long overdue fight, would love it

azat gave nery hell with a good body attack, and of course figgy stopped him downstairs. luis better protect dat belly

Good fight. Inoue starting to run out of credible opponents. Hopefully people will fight there way to an inoue matchup rather than wait there way (like canelo 168 saga).

Should be next.

would love this

need someone to really go for the rounds vs inoue, it's been a while since i saw that. guys get spooked very quickly and become more focused on damage reduction than winning. i think inoue will ko nery (nery really doesnt like it to the body, which is bad against inoue) but i think nery will be more offensive than tapales, fulton, or butler

There is no more competition for Monster at 122. I would love to see him fight Brandon Figueroa at 126. Brandon would have the size and probably strength advantage. He can take a lot of punishment and has a great body attack. Of course Monster would be much quicker but I believe this fight would be a lot more physically taxing for Inuoue.

top rank has two of the 126 champs- lopez and espinoza- and possibly a third if otabek beats raymond ford. i imagine if inoue goes to 126 his title opponent would be one of them, rather than brandon 'blocks with his face, but big and strong' figueroa

already ktfo a guy who beat figgy anyway

If I am top rank I would want inoue to fight the out of house champ. That way if he wins you can start setting up unifications and triple undisputed…(or ideally get your 126ers to unify as much as possible befor inoue comes to play)

You don’t want a random 3rd party in the way of triple undisputed cause they got so much leverage in negotiations.

All this is assuming he fanceys 126… there’s some good 115s he could meet at 118lb instead.

Naoya Inoue Next Fight Targeted For May, Likely WBC Mandatory Defense Versus Luis Nery

The victory lap will be brief.

Naoya Inoue has already begun plans for his next fight, a conversation that already took place in the background ahead of his latest fight. The four-division champion became a freshly crowned undisputed king after a tenth-round knockout of WBA/IBF titlist Marlon Tapales to fully unify the 122-pound division. Inoue held the WBC and WBO belts headed into the Lemino/ESPN+ main event from Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

His current vision now calls for a third fight within a ten-month span.

“We plan to return to the ring in May,” Inoue confirmed during his post-fight interview. “We can’t really discuss who that might be since we are in negotiations.”

As previously reported by Boxing Scene, Inoue will likely next defend versus WBC mandatory challenger and former two-division titlist Luis Nery. The four sanctioning bodies agreed to first allow Inoue-Tapales for the undisputed crown, where Inoue scored two knockdowns en route to the historic win.

Inoue previously told Boxing Scene that—with a win—his plan was to remain at junior featherweight through the end of 2024, that there remained several fights of interest at a weight where he feels comfortable.

Tijuana’s Nery (35-1, 27KOs) became the WBC number-one contender after his thrilling eleventh-round knockout of Azat Hovhannisyan on February 18 in Pomona, California. The bout remains a leading Fight of the Year contender, which saw Nery score two knockdowns and stop Hovhannisyan on his feet to earn his ranking.

Where such a fight takes place is of interest.

Yokohama’s Inoue (26-0, 23KOs) fought in his native Japan for the fifth straight time. However, Nery was previously issued a lifetime ban by the Japanese Boxing Commission after badly blowing weight ahead of a second-round knockout of Shinsuke Yamakaka in their March 2018 rematch.

Nery dethroned the previously unbeaten WBC bantamweight champion via fourth-round knockout in August 2017 to win the title. He tested positive for the banned substance Zilpaterol but attributed it to food contamination and was permitted to keep his title. The scale fail was a different matter, as his reign ended as well as his time in Japan.

Inoue has not fought in the U.S. since a June 2021 third-round knockout of Michael Dasmarinas in Las Vegas. His December 2021 return to Japan came in a routine title defense with available opposition limited due to Japan’s borders being closed to minimize the spike in Covid cases.

Since then, Inoue has enjoyed an historic run.

Tuesday’s win saw him become undisputed champion at two weight divisions in just under 54 weeks—quicker than any other boxer in history, male or female. His eighth-round knockout of Stephen Fulton to win the WBC/WBO 122-pound titles on July 25, marking the first Japanese boxer to hold unified title status at two more weights.

Last December, Inoue became the first Asian to fully unify a division in the three- or four-belt era after his eleventh-round knockout of Paul Butler brought together the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO bantamweight titles.

The win over Fulton was delayed by two months due to injury. Assuming both he and Nery (if that’s next) can stay healthy, a fight in May will mark his most active three-fight stretch since the start of the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight tournament in 2018.

fulton, tapales, and nery within 10 months. that's a schedule top fighters should be aiming for

Team Inoue Eyes Tokyo Dome, Saudi Arabia As Hosting Locations For Planned Three-Fight 2024 Campaign

Naoya Inoue will not be able to create as much history in 2024 as has been the case in his past few years.

The big event plans in store for the year ahead, however, could make him a lot richer.

Hideyuki Ohashi, Inoue’s career-long promoter and head of Ohashi Promotions, revealed plans to bring the four-division champion to the famed Tokyo Dome for at least his next fight in Japan. A trip to the Middle East could also be in the cards for Inoue’s forthcoming campaign.

“For [Inoue’s] next fight, I'm thinking about bigger venues, and I'm also thinking about Saudi Arabia,” noted Mr. Ohashi to media members Wednesday. “The Tokyo Dome is an option."

The concern over fighting in front of a limited audience was raised after Inoue’s tenth-round knockout of Marlon Tapales on Tuesday to fully unify the junior featherweight division. The historic event took place in front of a jam-packed crowd of 15,000 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The same venue has hosted each of Inoue’s past three fights, each time left with more fans on the waiting list than they were able to grant entrance.

Tokyo Dome boasts a 55,000-seat capacity. The venue has only hosted two major boxing events, both headlined by then unbeaten, undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson—including his monstrous February 1990 knockout defeat to Buster Douglas in what remains the benchmark for historic boxing upsets.

As previously reported by BS.com, Inoue and his team are currently in talks for a fight versus WBC mandatory challenger and former two-division titlist Luis Nery. The bout is targeted for next May.

With a win, Mr. Ohashi noted the possibility of a title defense versus WBA number-one contender Murodjon Akhmadaliev—whom Tapales dethroned to win the WBA and IBF titles in April—for Inoue’s Middle East debut. Such a bout would take place in September.

Inoue himself floated the idea of a voluntary title defense versus former three-division titlist John Riel Casimero as a third fight for 2024. Mr. Ohashi was not quite as giddy over the matchup, though Inoue views the matchup as unfinished business; they were due to meet in an April 2020 bantamweight unification clash in Las Vegas which was canceled due to the initial wave of the global pandemic.

Good to see Japan will let it go ahead in Tokyo.

Should be in the contract that if he misses weight then he has to fight Takeshi inoue.



Ps Japan has zero pro cruiserweights or light heavyweights. Isn’t that insane, I know Japanese are fairly small, but not a single pro boxer In The 200 or 175 Div… 175 isn’t exactly huge…

gregregegg wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 04:53 Good to see Japan will let it go ahead in Tokyo.

Should be in the contract that if he misses weight then he has to fight Takeshi inoue.



Ps Japan has zero pro cruiserweights or light heavyweights. Isn’t that insane, I know Japanese are fairly small, but not a single pro boxer In The 200 or 175 Div… 175 isn’t exactly huge…

That IS interesting and rather peculiar.

Especially being that there ARE Plenty of Very Big Japanese. Such as Sumo Wrestlers, MMA Fighters, and Pro Entertainment Wrestlers. Yet, the biggest Japanese Boxers that I've ever seen, throughout my life, are Junior Middleweights(154).

With the upcoming Inoue-Nery bout, scheduled in May, it will be interesting to see if it will be at 122 or possibly 126.
I think that Inoue will likely win. Probably a 10th round Ko or Tko.
I never stop feeling very interested in a bout being made, between Inoue and Lomachenko, at 130, which I Really believe Loma could easily make weight for. And likewise, Inoue would be fine and dandy at that weight as well.

Hopefully Lomachenko will Win in decisive fashion versus Kamboses. I think that he likely will.
At that point(Following the wins of Loma and then Inoue), I Really think that That Will Definitely be """The Bout""" to be Made, especially for the Real fans of Boxing !!

All the big lads are really big.. and they do sumo and wresting.

gregregegg wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 04:53 Ps Japan has zero pro cruiserweights or light heavyweights.

But there are 6 active heavyweights.

AngryGoon38 wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 06:19 Yet, the biggest Japanese Boxers that I've ever seen, throughout my life, are Junior Middleweights(154).

Nobuhiro Ishida (24450) with bouts against James Kirkland, Paul Williams, Dmitry Pirog, Gennadiy Golovkin, eventually became a heavyweight.

AngryGoon38 wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 06:19 I never stop feeling very interested in a bout being made, between Inoue and Lomachenko, at 130, which I Really believe Loma could easily make weight for. And likewise, Inoue would be fine and dandy at that weight as well.

Inoue started at 108. Now he is 30 years old and is fighting at 122. It's not fair to demand from him to move up to 130.

Tokyo Dome is actually crazy. That's a big deal.
If Inoue loses that one, shit will break loose.

two worlds collide
rival nations
its a primitive clash
venting years of frustrations

luis is a bit of a beast himself, but he defo was not liking those body shots from figgy or crazy azat. inoue should go ham on that mexican mid section

Sources: Naoya Inoue, Luis Nery agree to title bout in Tokyo

Naoya Inoue and Luis Nery have agreed to a deal for a May fight in Tokyo for Inoue's undisputed junior featherweight championship, sources told ESPN on Monday night.

Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) claimed ESPN Fighter of the Year honors when he KOed Marlon Tapales in Round 10 last month to become undisputed champion.

The Japanese star's victory followed an eighth-round TKO win over Stephen Fulton in July, when Inoue claimed two titles in his 122-pound debut. Inoue, 30, is ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer.

Nery (34-1, 26 KOs) received an indefinite suspension from the Japan Boxing Commission in March 2018, but officials involved have been assured the Mexican will be reinstated, sources said.

The ban was handed down following Nery's pair of stoppage wins over Japan's longtime champion Shinsuke Yamanaka.

Nery scored a fourth-round TKO win over Yamanaka to capture the WBC bantamweight title in August 2017, but was suspended afterward when the banned substance zilpaterol was found in his system.

Nery argued the adverse finding was the result of tainted meat consumed in Mexico. In the March 2018 rematch, Nery stopped Yamanaka in Round 2 but did so after he weighed 121 pounds for a 118-pound title bout. The pair of violations led to the ban.

But Nery earned a shot against Inoue, who usually fights in Japan, when he scored an 11th-round KO over Azat Hovhannisyan in February. The WBC title eliminator was named ESPN's runner-up for Fight of the Year.

Nery, 29, has won four consecutive fights since his lone professional defeat, a seventh-round TKO vs. Brandon Figueroa in a May 2021 title fight. Nery is rated No. 3 by ESPN at 122 pounds.

Against Inoue, Nery faces long odds to become a two-time junior featherweight champion. "The Monster" is a generational talent fighting at the peak of his powers.

Inoue's undisputed title victory over Tapales was remarkably his second in as many weight classes in the past year. Inoue stopped Paul Butler in the 11th round of their December 2022 meeting to become undisputed champion at 118 pounds.

Inoue also reigned as champion at 108 and 115 pounds.

omalley wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 10:03

AngryGoon38 wrote: ↑09 Jan 2024, 06:19 I never stop feeling very interested in a bout being made, between Inoue and Lomachenko, at 130, which I Really believe Loma could easily make weight for. And likewise, Inoue would be fine and dandy at that weight as well.

Inoue started at 108. Now he is 30 years old and is fighting at 122. It's not fair to demand from him to move up to 130.

So he went up 14lb from 20 till 30…. That is hardly over the top moving up in weight.

Inoue is defiantly one of my favourites. And I don’t want him fighting people way to big for him. But seriously 14 lb in a decade… that’s just growing up.

Loma was an atom weight when he was 17 ish… inoue was a light fly when he was 17 ish. If you turn pro young and light you’re always going to move through lots and lots of weights. Loma is bigger than inoue, but not by much.

I’m not going to demand anything out of inoue, but if he chooses to fight Loma (or tank) at 130 I think it’s a great fight. Can’t see it happening but if it’s made I’ll be stoked.

Inoueis probably 135ish fight night. Mayweather consistantly fought with very little weight cut to neg in his prime. Why can’t inoue (if he wants).

(Personally I would rather see him attempt 126 undisputed first but if he does that fornicate it fight fury….)