Heaven knows, the proud city of Glasgow in Scotland has produced it’s share of tough guys over the years, frightening guys; hard-chinned and even harder fisted fighters – fighters the great Mike Tyson might refer to as “authentically tough men”.
A proud city full of proud men and women, Glasgow might just welcome it’s biggest-ever puncher, it’s most lethally equipped fighting machine on May 18, as unbeaten Japanese terror, or “Monster,” Naoya Inoue will make an anticipated guest appearance there. Make no mistake, though, his ring partner will not be extending any courtesy to Inoue, nor will he be intimidated by the occasion. At least we all hope not.
Emanuel Rodriguez, unbeaten like Inoue, if no massive puncher like his rival, will challenge the favourite in the next stage if the WBSS bantamweight tournament, and two major bantamweight belts will also be on the line. A great fight may well ensue, yet it’s more than fair to say how most fans are anticipating a great KO – yet another one from Inoue, who is 17-0(15) to Puerto Rico’s 19-0(12) Rodriguez.
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The biggest boxing star in his homeland right now, Inoue has chilled fine fighters before now, plenty of them in fact. And he has done it quickly. Fans are now braced for another display of his handiwork, and it’s possible even the Glasgow hard men will wince when they see Inoue’s destructive fists (and he hits hard with both hands, to head and to body) inflict damage on Rodriguez.
The single hardest puncher in boxing today, pound-for-pound, Inoue might even be the best P-4-P fighter in the world, period. It’s now up to Rodriguez, as talented as he clearly is, to prove otherwise.
Some great pro fighters have either visited or have actually boxed in the city of Glasgow – Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston and Sugar Ray Robinson among them – yet it could certainly be argued how no more frightening a puncher had ever done his stuff there before. Not in any licensed fight at least.
Inoue and his terrifying hands will be both respected and appreciated in Glasgow when the 26 year old puts on a show there a week from Saturday. Will it be another first-round KO (Inoue is coming off two straight) or might Rodriguez manage to at the very least stick around a little longer?
With Scottish hero Josh Taylor also in action, against Ivan Baranchyk in a big WBSS light-welterweight showdown, it promises to be some rocking night in Glasgow on May 18!
Four unbeaten fighters, all world class and hinting at possible greatness, will be in action inside a sold-out SSE Hydro. It could prove to be the biggest little night of the year.