Will Naoya Inoue move up to featherweight after his next fight?

By Daniele D’Alessio

NAOYA Inoue is expected to go through TJ Doheny like a hot knife through butter on September 3 in Japan.

To many, the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Inoue’s aura of invincibility seems to grow with every fight. The ‘Monster’ appears so dominant against every opponent that betting against the Japanese superstar is comparable to throwing money down the toilet. 

His status is reminiscent of a prime Mike Tyson where it feels like no one can defeat Inoue and a devastating knockout in each bout is a formality.

But unlike Tyson, Inoue is a much smaller man and to keep building his legacy he is cursed with the path of continually moving up the weight divisions to search for worthier opposition. The world title belts he has racked up in four divisions symbolise the scalps taken, like an ancient warrior carrying around the heads of his enemies.

When Inoue first decided to move to super-bantamweight, parts of the boxing world had reservations. Here was a five-foot-five man who began his career at light-flyweight, now opting to challenge fighters who were naturally bigger than him. 

However, it only took eight rounds for Stephen Fulton to realise size isn’t everything as Inoue pulverised the American to become a unified super-bantamweight world champion.

Since then, the Kanagawa native has become the first boxer to reign undisputed at 122 lbs, knocking out both Marlon Tapales and Luis Nery in the process.

For the first time though, Inoue was dropped after taking a huge left hook from Nery in the first round – a moment that humanised the ‘Monster.’ Yet Inoue’s response was demonic. He got up and floored Nery three times over the course of six rounds to emerge victorious. It’s almost like Inoue felt embarrassed and punished Nery for knocking him down.

Indeed, so far, Inoue’s brilliance has not been dampened by moving up in weight. Sometimes, a fighter can be a puncher in a certain division, but their power fizzles out once facing opponents who outsize them. 

With 24 out of 27 wins coming via knockout, Inoue’s power has not only carried to super-bantamweight but arguably increased. Plus, when you’re as technically flawless as Inoue, the chances of landing clean, accurate punches will remain, regardless of the weight.

The bookies have Inoue as an enormous favourite over Doheny. When James ‘Buster’ Douglas knocked out Tyson in 1990 to become world heavyweight champion, the boxing world was in disbelief. Inoue is not the proclaimed ‘baddest man on the planet’. But a Doheny victory seems just as unfathomable despite the Irishman racking up three stoppage wins in a row.

Ironically, when Tyson suffered the largest upset of his career, it was in Japan. However, Inoue has boxed in his home country throughout his career and the Japanese superstar seems more disciplined than Tyson outside the ring.

Regardless, if Inoue does what everyone expects him to do, there will be mass speculation on what’s next. People are already talking about a fantasy fight with Gervonta Davis and if the ‘Monster’ looks particularly spectacular, the calls for such an unrealistic yet exciting prospect may get louder. Both are listed at the same height, but Davis is currently competing at lightweight, three weight divisions higher than Inoue.

Furthermore, before Inoue does leave super-bantamweight, there are a few opponents who might deserve a crack at the phenom. One is Sam Goodman, a former opponent of Doheny. Goodman, 25, comprehensively outpointed Doheny last year and is undefeated in 19 fights. Whether Goodman can pose a serious threat against Inoue is debatable, but on paper, the Australian is a credible opponent.

Another potential challenger is Murodjon Akhmadaliev. The Uzbek suffered a split-decision loss to Tapales. Still, Akhmadaliev is a southpaw, heavy-handed, and widely considered one of the best boxers at 122 lbs.

Then there is Britain’s Liam Davies, who has gone from strength to strength in recent performances, claiming three stoppage wins on the trot. The 28-year-old has also been very vocal about wanting to share the ring with Inoue. Inoue fought in Glasgow back in 2019 against Emmanuel Rodriguez and a return to the UK, if unlikely, would be a stellar event.

Only 31, Inoue is in his prime and has time to think about the best way to maximise his legacy. The knockout machine is already a future Hall of Famer. However, with the right fights, he could go down as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

Becoming a five-weight division world champion would help that cause, joining the likes of Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr, and Manny Pacquaio. 

Notwithstanding, the jump from super-bantamweight to featherweight is a significant one. In theory, there is a four-pound difference, although you just need to look at Rey Vargas and Brandon Figueroa to see how much bigger some of the fighters are at 126 lbs. It’s plausible Inoue will take his time and let his body grow before deciding to make such a leap.

Everything may depend on Inoue’s tenure at super-bantamweight. If the bouts start to become tougher, 122 lbs could be his ceiling. On the other hand, if he keeps smashing adversaries with ease, a shot at a featherweight world title could manifest in the not-too-distant future.