The year is almost over and with it all boxing action of 2017. There is, though, one last big fight to be fought. Well, it’s a fight that will feature a big puncher. Japan’s reigning WBO junior-bantamweight king Naoya Inoue may be no big guy, height and weight-wise; nor is the unbeaten “Monster,” as in monster puncher, the big star he should be, but he is one huge talent.
Naoya Inoue
Kal Yafai wants Roman Gonzalez after Ishida fight
WBA World super flyweight champion Kal Yafai (22-0, 14 KO) already has his sights set on fighting fading superstar Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs). Yafai, 28, has a title defense to get out of the way against #1 WBA Sho Ishida (24-0, 13 KOs) this month on October 28 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
Naoya Inoue stops Antonio Nieves – Results
WBO super flyweight world champion Naoya “The Monster” Inoue (14-0, 12 KOs) easily took care of Antonio “Carita” Nieves (17-2-2, 9 KOs) in beating him by a 6th round retirement stoppage on Saturday night on the “SuperFly” card at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Nieves’ corner let the referee know after round 6 that he wouldn’t be coming out for the 7th. Inoue knocked Nieves down in round 5 with a shot to the midsection. Nieves took a knee and beat the count. Inoue continued to try and go after Nieves to knock him out, but he did a good job of moving to keep out of range.
Rungvisai vs Gonzalez, Cuadras vs Estrada & Inoue vs Nieves final quotes
The Final Press Conference for ‘SUPERFLY’, this Saturday’s historic tripleheader featuring six of the top super flyweights in the world, took place today in front of a massive contingent of media in Carson, California.
Headlining “SUPERFLY”, WBC Super Flyweight World Champion SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI, (42-4-1, 38 KO’s), of Si Sa Ket, Thailand defends his title for the first time against former WBC Super Flyweight Champion ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO” GONZALEZ, (46-1-0, 38 KO’s), televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.
Unsung Gems in the Ring
Throughout boxing history “big” names have always garnered mass attention, searing themselves in social memory. Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, Mayweather, Jones Jr., Pacquiao, De La Hoya and Mosley were, and still are, huge names both in and out of boxing. However, while they captured the headlines, and deservedly so, there were quite a few guys who deservednotoriety who either received their just due a little too late or never received it at all. Fighters like Winky Wright, Vernon Forrest, Lamon Brewster, Ricardo Lopez, Mike McCallum and many others are sometimes forgotten in conversations about great or exciting fighters from certain eras.