“The Monster” has successfully invaded yet another weight division. Moments ago in Tokyo, Japan, Naoya Inoue scored a wholly one-sided win over defending WBC/WBO super-bantamweight champ Stephen Fulton, Inoue ending his commanding night’s work with an 8th round KO. Inoue caught Fulton with a big right hand to the head followed by a left and down the defending champion went.
Fulton, looking dazed and confused (and who could blame him!) walked away from Inoue after regaining his feet, and Inoue jumped right on his man, blasting away until Fulton fell again in a corner, this just as the referee made the decision to dive in and stop the fight. Time was 1:14 and Inoue, 25-0(22) is now a four-weight world champion. Fulton, who simply gave Inoue too much respect, loses for the first time in dropping to 21-1(8).
What was widely expected to be a very competitive fight, possibly to the tune of being Inoue’s toughest fight to date, instead turned into a one-sided masterclass in favour of the Japanese superstar. Faster than Fulton, Inoue out-jabbed the defending champion, and Inoue also showed without any doubt that his withering punching power has made the trip up with him to 122 pounds. This writer failed to give Fulton a round, such was Inoue’s dominance.
Fulton, the younger man by a year at age 29, did try, and he did get home with a few good right hands to the head, his best right hand landing in the 7th round. But Inoue was never once in any trouble, the challenger instead looking like he was enjoying the fight. Certainly, Inoue never looked like he was even close to breathing hard during the fight. Fulton, who bled from the mouth, showed heart, especially in getting back up from that first hurtful knockdown, but the man from Philly had nothing with which to bother Inoue.
It was an almost flawless display of boxing, of punching, of utter ring generalship from Inoue, and we really do now have to ask ourselves if ANYONE can possibly defeat “The Monster.” As great as he looked today, as super-special and as comfortable at the new weight as he looked today, Inoue could possibly go up and win a world title at a fifth weight. That’s how good Inoue is. Some writers have referred to 30 year old Inoue as being a generational talent. Yeah, he sure is.
