Boxing’s Blockbuster Showdown: Inoue to Face Akhmadaliev in WBA Mandatory Title Fight
On Thursday, the World Boxing Association (WBA) ordered undisputed junior-featherweight champion Naoya Inoue of Japan to defend his titles against the organization’s mandatory challenger, former unified champion Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev.
Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), a four-division and two-time undisputed champion, is firmly in the discussion for the pound-for-pound No. 1 spot, alongside unbeaten stars Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk.
The two camps have until July 14 to negotiate a deal, or the bout will proceed to a purse bid. The WBA has requested the fight to take place before September 25.
Akhmadaliev’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, expressed enthusiasm for the timing, stating that the bout could potentially be included on the September 21 card headlined by former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s fight against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in London. The event is being backed by Saudi Arabia’s His Excellency Turki Alalshikh.
“That would be ideal,” Kornilov said. “It would be very interesting to see Inoue versus Akhmadaliev be a part of a huge international event.”
Inoue, who recently drew a crowd of 55,000 to the Tokyo Dome for his knockout victory over former champion Luis Nery, has faced pressure to either move up in weight or expand his popularity beyond Japan.
Akhmadaliev, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, captured the WBA and IBF belts in 2020 by defeating Daniel Roman. He lost the titles in a disputed split-decision loss to Marlon Tapales in April 2023, who was then knocked out by Inoue in December.
Kornilov believes that Inoue should be facing top contenders, rather than fighters like Tapales and Nery, who have suffered losses and knockouts before.
“Inoue is a spectacular boxer. He is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but he should be fighting other top contenders like all the other pound-for-pound elite are,” Kornilov stated.
This highly anticipated matchup between Inoue and Akhmadaliev promises to be a thrilling addition to the boxing calendar, showcasing the sport’s elite talents on a global stage.
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