The Unparalleled Reign of Boxing’s Japanese Sensation, Naoya Inoue
As the esteemed promoter Bob Arum looks back on his Hall of Fame career, he fondly recalls some of the greatest fighters he has presided over, from Muhammad Ali to Manny Pacquiao. Yet, among this illustrious list, one name stands out as a true sensation – Naoya Inoue, the undisputed 122-pound king.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is set to defend his crown on Tuesday against former two-division champion Luis Nery (35-1, 27 KOs). The highly anticipated bout will take place at the iconic Tokyo Dome, where Inoue will headline a boxing event for the first time since 1990 when Mike Tyson suffered a shocking upset at the hands of Buster Douglas.
Arum, who has witnessed the rise of countless legends, is in awe of Inoue’s exceptional abilities. “He’s a terrific young man and one of the greatest fighters I’ve ever seen,” Arum said. “It’s scary with what I am seeing. He overwhelms really good opponents. I’ve never seen a fighter of that size perform the way he has. Maybe Salvador Sanchez had that ability, but even then, Sanchez did not win nearly all his fights by knockout.”
The Japanese sensation’s dominance has not gone unnoticed, as he has been awarded 2023 Fighter of the Year honors by BoxingScene and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Currently considered a top-two pound-for-pound fighter alongside Terence Crawford, Inoue’s impact on the sport is undeniable.
Despite the early morning broadcast times in the United States, Inoue’s fights have still managed to captivate a large audience. “ESPN has told us that even though Inoue’s fights come on at a crazy hour, the audience is still very large,” Arum revealed. “Boxing fans also know they are watching something special when they are watching Inoue.”
As Inoue prepares to defend his title against the confident Nery, who has dismissed the Japanese star as “overrated, overconfident, and ordinary,” Arum remains unfazed. “Luis Nery is a tough Mexican fighter who will give him a go for a few rounds and then Inoue will knock him out,” he predicted.
With a sold-out venue and a gate expected to exceed $20 million, the stage is set for Inoue to continue his reign as one of the most dominant and captivating figures in the world of boxing.
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