Naoya Inoue’s Rise to Greatness: A Remarkable Journey in Boxing
The impact Naoya Inoue has made since turning professional a little under 12 years ago is nothing short of startling. Even more so when one attempts to rate his 10 finest performances to date.
His demolition of Adrian Hernandez, the WBC junior flyweight champion, in just six rounds despite being only 5-0 at the time, showcased Inoue’s innate talent and ability to dominate at the highest level.
The manner in which he dismantled the proven and sturdy Jamie McDonnell in just 112 seconds upon moving up to the bantamweight division was a stunning introduction to his exploits in the new weight class.
Inoue’s beatdown of double belt-holder Marlon Tapales to claim undisputed status in a second weight class further exhibited his versatility and dominance at the pinnacle of boxing.
The beautiful right hand that toppled Juan Carlos Payano in the opening round remains one of the most cinematic finishes of Inoue’s career to date.
His thrilling encounter with Nonito Donaire, where Inoue overcame a fractured right eye socket to score a late knockdown, was a testament to the qualities of both warriors.
The performance that truly made the world pay attention was Inoue’s destruction of WBO junior bantamweight king Omar Andres Narvaez, who was making his 13th title defense. Inoue dropped Narvaez twice in each of the first two rounds, showcasing an offensive repertoire that belied his 21 years.
Inoue’s artful outboxing of Jason Moloney, before delivering a brutal right hand that bent his opponent in half, was another showcase of his diverse skillset.
The rematch with Nonito Donaire was a masterclass, as Inoue stalked his rival from the opening bell and completed the demolition job midway through the second round.
Inoue’s ferocious display against Emmanuel Rodriguez, where he dropped the opponent three times and bloodied his nose, was a stark reminder of his ability to make a mockery of seemingly 50/50 matchups.
In one of the most complete and impressive performances of 2023, Inoue blitzed the talented and determined Stephen Fulton with unerring ease, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s true greats.
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