Right now, a number of featherweight fighters are circling, and are hoping to get a piece of the action as far as landing a massive fight with Japanese superstar and pound-for-pound king (in the opinion of many, but not all) Naoya Inoue. For quite some time now, there has been a call – indeed a cry – for Inoue to make the move up to the 126 pound division.
Inoue, who is the reigning four-belt super-bantamweight king, and has won world titles at four weights, says he will make the move. But only when he’s ready; when his body tells him he’s ready.
There are still some good fights for “The Monster” at 122 pounds – such as his upcoming mandatory with the deserving Murodjon Akhmadaliev, not to mention that much talk about all-Japanese super fight showdown with Junto Nakatani. But that move to featherweight will likely happen.
Who gets first crack at Inoue at 126?
British dynamo Nick Ball wants a piece of the Inoue action, as does Angelo Leo. Both men hold a belt at featherweight, so who might prove to be the man who welcomes Inoue to the 126 pound division? We fans would welcome either fight, but Leo says he is sure he has the style to beat Inoue.
“I think me being a featherweight champion is already an attention in itself. So yeah, I think he definitely knows who I am,” Leo said to The Ring in regards to Inoue. “I could fight him next year; whenever the time is right. But I do want that fight, and I think he would want it too if he’s moving up to featherweight. I just think I have the style to beat him.”
Will anyone ever crack “The Monster”?
Leo of Albuquerque, who is currently 26-1(12) and is coming off a good win in Japan, this over Tomoki Kameda, has never been stopped (the sole loss on his record coming against Stephen Fulton, this back in January of 2021), and he is in his prime at age 31.
Who would the fans prefer to see Inoue make his featherweight debut against, should the 32 year old great make the expected move up four pounds – Ball, Leo, or someone else?
Inoue’s scalp really is something so many fighters want to get their hands on, that’s for sure. But will “The Monster” ever lose a fight?