Tag Archives: naoya

Posted on 05/25/2018

By: Ste Rowen

Japanese phenomenon, Naoya Inoue lit up the Ota-City General Gym and put the bantamweight division on notice by stopping WBA ‘Regular’ champion, Jamie Mcdonnell in the 1st round.

The bout started off fairly tentatively as McDonnell looked the busier boxer, whilst Inoue bided his time before striking. Then half way through the round, Inoue landed a left hook which sent McDonnell shaking and ‘The Monster’ smelt blood. He followed the hook with another sharp left hand to the body which dropped his English opponent and signalled the beginning of the end.

The former IBF champion rose, but Inoue charged in, landing a barrage of power shots in quick succession and forcing the referee to call an end to the fight with just over a minute left in the 1st round.

McDonnell was expected to move up before today’s fight was announced, and after such a devastating defeat for the former British and European champion, it seems even more likely that he’ll make the jump to 122lb. That’s if he chooses to continue to fight.

Naoya though, now 16-0 (14KOs) will move onto the upcoming 118lb World Boxing Super Series, a tournament that already includes WBA ‘Super’ champion, Ryan Burnett, IBF holder, Emmanuel Rodriguez and WBO titlist, Zolani Tete.

Quickfire Undercard Report…

Ken Shiro wasted hardly any time in defending his WBC light flyweight belt, knocking out the former holder of the same strap, Ganigan Lopez of Mexico with a brutal body shot, in a rematch of their championship bout in May last year when Shiro, now 13-0 (7KOs) earned a majority decision.

Brother of Naoya Inoue, Takuma moved to 11-0 (3KOs) after knocking out Indonesian, Waldo Sabu in the 1st round.

Super featherweight, Tsuyoshi Tameda, now 17-3-2 (15KOs) stretched his knockout streak to four after taking just three rounds to stop Rivo ‘El Matador’ Rengkung.

In their respective professional debuts super flyweight, Taku Kuwahara and super featherweight, Ryuya Goto both scored 1st round stoppages.

Posted on 05/23/2018

By: Ste Rowen

This Friday at Ota-City Central Gym in Tokyo, Jamie McDonnell, 29-2-1 (13KOs) will once again step away from home comforts to fight a man, most boxers would rather avoid. The Doncaster native, and WBA ‘Regular’ bantamweight champion will step into the ring with the much feared, Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue, already a two-weight world champion in just 15 pro fights.

It’s been almost four years since McDonnell picked up the vacant WBA ‘Regular’ after stopping 52-3 (34KOs), Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat with a crushing left hook, and since then, the former IBF titlist has fought just six times, fighting twice in 2016 and once last year – a Monaco rematch with Liborio Solis that ended in a ‘No-Contest’ due to a cut above the left eye of McDonnell.

In my end of 2017 UK P-4-P rankings, McDonnell was a ‘notable exception for those same reasons. Such a talented fighter deserves to be in the ring more often, but now he has the perfect opportunity to remind boxing fans just how good he is when he takes on ‘The Monster’,

‘Right now, I am in unbelievable physical and mental shape like never before,’ Jamie told Sky Sports, ‘I have a good understanding that Naoya Inoue is a great boxer and a knockout artist…and he’s pound-for-pound, but I can box with anyone.’

‘I’m unbeaten for the last 10 years, and I’m a long-time world champion…I don’t think Inoue has fought someone like me in his entire career.’

Along with the record to back up his claims, McDonnell also brings a significant size and reach advantage into the bout. The two boxers came face to face earlier in the week and the difference between them was clear, but it’s not something ‘The Monster’ is overly worried about. Speaking to ‘Boxing Mobile Japan’ he said,

‘It isn’t easy to find those kinds of fighters in Asia…It’s the first time that I’m going to face a fighter that tall. But it’s the same when meeting any fighter for the first time, there’s always something new to contend with.’

‘I think it’ll be similar to the Omar Narvaez fight in terms of intensity…McDonnell is a tough fighter, but I want to knock him down with one punch.’

If victorious, Inoue, 15-0 (13KOs) will technically become a three-weight world champion, after picking up titles at light-flyweight and super-fly, and the Japanese phenomenon has also confirmed his place in the upcoming bantamweight World Boxing Super Series, assuming he gets the win this week.

It took Naoya just six pro bouts to pick up his first world championship honours by stopping 29-2-1, Adrian Hernandez with a brutal right hook. He defended the WBC belt just once before jumping up two weight classes to take on Narvaez for the WBO strap at super-fly. ‘The Monster’ continued to live up to his nickname by carrying his much-hyped power through the weight divisions and wiping out his Argentinian opponent in two rounds.

The Japanese has only gone the full distance twice, 10-rounds with recently dethroned light flyweight, Ryoichi Taguchi and 12 dominant rounds with David Carmona – who takes on Kal Yafai in Fresno, also this weekend. McDonnell however has a wealth of experience, including in high level bouts, going the 12-round distance on nine occasions, including his two impressive points wins over Tomoki Kameda back in 2015.

Whoever comes out victorious in Tokyo on Friday, it’s hard to envision a bout that doesn’t entertain. Whether it’s six minutes out of your day as, Naoya plans, or if it goes the full twelve, this could end up being the perfect way to start your Friday.

Posted on 09/05/2017

By: Sean Crose

Twenty four years old. Five feet, four inches tall. Thirteen wins. Zero Defeats. Zero draws. Eleven knockouts. Two world titles in a career that has run a span of less than five years. Meet Naoya Inoue, the WBO World Super Flyweight Champion from the southern portion of Japan, who is about to make his American debut this Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. The highly acclaimed Inoue will be one of the headliners on a card deemed “Superfly” because it will present fans with top level superflyweight matches. It is most certainly one of the year’s biggest cards.

Aside from Inoue’s premiere stateside foray, there’s Roman Gonzalez’ much anticipated rematch with Srisaket Rungvisai after their brilliant battle for the WBC super flyweight crown last winter in New York. Juan Francisco Estrada will also be facing Carlos Cuadras, who will be looking to show his mettle after a disappointing performance last March. To be sure, there are those who claim that Inoue has the easiest of the three big fights this weekend. This line of thinking, however, may prove to be wide of the mark. For Inoue’s opponent, Antonio Nieves, might not seem as menacing as Gonzalez, Rungvisai, Cuadras or Estrada, but he’s certainly no slouch.

Boasting a record of seventeen wins, one loss and two draws, the Cleveland native’s lone defeat came by split decision to the undefeated Nikoli Potapov in a fight that was aired on Shobox back in March. He may not be a power puncher, but Nieves has a solid amateur background, an effective jab and the opportunity of a lifetime before him. Expect the fighter, who also works as a banker, to try to make the most of his opportunity in front of HBO cameras this weekend.

The man will have his work cut out for him with Inoue, however. For the fighter known as “The Monster” has terrific footwork, blistering combinations, a sound jab and destructive power. It could, in fact, be argued that Inoue is the complete package. He’s certainly proved his worth in less than fourteen professional fights. One matter of possible concern, though, if the fact that people are expecting a lot from the young man from Kanagawa. An upset loss or a less than stellar showing could harm Inoue’s fearsome reputation. Like Floyd Mayweather just over a week ago, the fighter will walk into the ring knowing anything less than dominance will be seen as a disappointment.

Posted on 05/03/2016

Introducing Inoue: Can He Melt “Chocolatito”?
By: Brandon Bernica

As soon as perennial talent Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez finished unlacing his gloves after a dominant performance over McJoe Arroyo a few weeks ago, the boxing universe began to chatter. See, Gonzalez has hit the point in his accomplished career where his promoters are scraping the bottom of the bucket of potential foes at 112 pounds. Consensus is that, other than a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada – who Gonzalez already edged out in a classic little-man’s scrap, no one in the division seems to pose any semblance of a threat to the Nicaraguan champ.

Paired with middleweight monster Gennady “GGG” Golovkin on April 23rd for the 3rd time, the dynamic was crystal clear. Golovkin billed as the heavy-handed ticket magnet that galvanized Southern California’s Mexican fanbase, whereas “Chocolatito” showcased as the slightly lesser-known flyweight maestro, conducting an orchestra of scathing hooks to the solar plex and overhand rights that thudded like strikes to a bass drum. Golovkin appears headed towards assuming the top space in boxing’s pound-for-pound hierarchy. In doing so, he will have to replace the man firmly ensconced in that position by most of the boxing press – his cohort, Roman Gonzalez. And in the prime of his career at 45-0 and with Hall-of-Fame credentials, who could argue that?

Every race has its dark horse. As frontrunners fade and contenders jockey to escape mediocrity, one horse usually thrusts forward to lead the pack. With our eyes trained on the one runner exercising his dominance over the field, an underdog missiles his way out of obscurity until he grabs our attention. Once our peripherals finally recognize this challenger’s determination, the real race begins.

Across the Pacific Ocean, an anomaly is slowly building a dangerous reputation in the sport. Naoya Inoue – hailing from Yokohama, Japan – is not your average fighter. For starters, he reigns as a two-time super flyweight world champion already, winning his first title in his 6th pro fight. Even more bizarre is that he still has less than 10 fights total and barely broke the age of 23 a couple weeks ago. In an era when promoters are looking to season their fighters with 15-20 comically soft tuneups before even considering decent opposition, this feat is remarkable.

If you’re old-school and prefer your cup of analysis with heavy doses of the eye test, Inoue is tough to knock in any perceivable category. Even small highlight reel sample sizes reveal gifts many veterans in the sport spend their lives seeking with no fruition. For an orthodox fighter, Inoue uncorks his lead left hook with a quick, rebuking snap. If that punch doesn’t punish his oft-poorly distanced foes, a slicing right hand – never thrown off balance – cleans up his combinations. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Inoue’s quick yet explosive career is his propensity to down fighters with body shots. Today’s culture of quick-fix consumption in the form of Vine clips and Instagram videos has diluted the sport’s craft, with boxers head-hunting for their shot to be seen on Sportscenter’s nightly top plays. Body snatching is a lost art, so the fact that the Japanese prodigy often pulverizes his foes’ guts with blows to the midsection is as impressive as it is unnoticed. What better way for an under-the-radar talent to finish fights than with punches that are also rarely appreciated by fans? To top it off, his defensive reflexes and footwork stay steps ahead of the men attempting to punch him, keeping him scotch clean and favorable in the judges’ eyes.

With all that being said, it begs the question: how could boxing’s best kept secret remain so anonymous for so long?

For one, Japanese fighters have long been reluctant to cross stateside into our collective consciences. And who could blame them? Boxing is celebrated in a Japanese culture where bravery is amongst its most notable precepts. Japanese fans shower adulation on their homebred fighters. One would surmise that financial incentives are strong for these fighters to remain on the island. 130-pound titan Takashi Uchiyama – considered the best in that division by many – has never ventured outside his home country to fight. Uchiyama’s rival Takashi Miura also held 32 of his 34 matches in Japan. One of the two foreign-turf opportunities he seized was the chance to appear on the massive Canelo vs Cotto undercard last year against Francisco Vargas, which proved to be a classic war between two rugged fighters. Japan’s boxing independence even attracts fighters from other countries to live and train inside its borders, including current lightweight champion Jorge Linares, who lives in Tokyo.

Another theory behind Inoue’s lack of public prominence deals with boxing’s long-standing, passive discrimination of the “little guy”. One common myth is that smaller fighters lack the one-punch pop to make for entertaining fights. Yet Gonzalez’s fights against Estrada and Brian Viloria validate that weight shouldn’t be a determining factor for fan enjoyment. Still, pundits such as BJ Flores will fail to acknowledge anything that transpires in the sport below 122 pounds (10 pounds above Gonzalez and 7 above Inoue). In fact, it took HBO up until last year to finally “gamble” and slate Gonzalez onto a GGG undercard. Mind you, Gonzalez is the best to offer south of 122 pounds; if he could barely find significant TV time, how does that bode for lesser warriors around that weight? And how likely does that make a network to fund a foreign fighter who, on paper, lacks the paid dues that landed “Chocolatito” air time?

Inoue’s slim amount of pro experience also might discourage fans from looking beyond the surface into what the Japanese star is all about. Guillermo Rigondeaux won his first title in his 9th fight, and Vasyl Lomachenko challenged for his first in only his 2nd official battle of his pro career. Granted, both those guys were amateur stars, yet their rapid ascensions didn’t scare away networks from getting them big time fights. Both men are of foreign descent as well and don’t speak much English. By default, you would believe that everyone would be clamoring to bring Inoue to America to be groomed into a marketable television fighter, yet that hasn’t been the case.

What’s clear is that there remain a number of factors obstructing Inoue’s inevitable birth into superstardom in the US. What isn’t clear is whether Gonzalez would be able to handle a slick, youthful talent in Inoue a few years down the line.

Yeah, yeah, Gonzalez would be favored against the Japanese slugger now. But let’s say Inoue continues down the path of success he’s towing closely right now. Perhaps he gets to hang a few more belts from his living room mantle and learns more inside of the ring in doing so, all while hitting his stride at 25 or 26. By that time, Gonzalez will only be in his early 30’s, meaning each man will presumably still command top-notch skills. Hopefully, boxing will realize the value in lower division fights, allowing this to be an event hardcore fans would anticipate with fervor.

Within the ropes, both fighters carry strong claims that they possess the qualities necessary to outlast the other guy. Gonzalez punches in bunches, is a master at gauging timing and distance, and punctuates combinations with torso turning power. Yet – out of anyone Gonzalez could face in the interim – Inoue is much more defensively sensible. Plus, his power, punch variety and intelligent offensive restraint pose monstrous quandaries that Nicaragua’s own will have to overcome. Remember also that Inoue is naturally the bigger man (3 pounds heavier), so taking and giving shots will be much easier on his end than for Gonzalez.

Two conclusions can be drawn from all of this. One is that Inoue is a diamond blaring from the rough, reflecting off the sun and daring us to notice its greatness. Two is that Gonzalez is a cut above, and to uplift respect for the smaller combatants of the sport to new heights, he might just need a true rival to test him, one who also has never glimpsed defeat in the eye. A match made in heaven just may require some divine intervention to fulfill these expectations. But like the dark horse, expectations are meant to be shattered. That’s when the fun really starts.