Once again, ahead of a big fight, the folks at RingTV.com have compiled a poll of experts who give their picks for who wins and how. This time it’s the turn of the super-bantamweights, as defending two-belt champ Stephen Fulton, 21-0(8), faces challenger, former three-weight champion Naoya Inoue, 24-0(21).
The fight, which adds even more big-fight, the best against the best interest during the week of the understandably bigger Terence Crawford-Errol Spence welterweight unification clash, will take place in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25. And, once again, asking 21 experts to make their pick, the latest Ring Mag poll makes interesting reading.
Inoue is a hefty favorite to win, at least when we go by the numbers, with 18 of the 21 experts who were asked picking “Monster” Inoue to get the win and, in so doing, becoming champion in a hugely impressive fourth weight division. However, of the experts who are picking an Inoue win, not too many of them are predicting a KO win for Inoue. Fulton does have his supporters (and Terence Crawford said this week he is leaning towards a Fulton win), and three experts who spoke with RingTV are picking the defending WBC/WBO 122-pound champ to leave Japan with his belts and unbeaten record intact.
The three people who are picking Fulton to win are: former three-time champ Duke McKenzie, who is going for Fulton by majority decision win, current featherweight contender Elijah Pierce, who says Fulton via split decision; and manager and trainer Bob Santos, who is picking Fulton on points.
Maybe Fulton, a fine boxer, will really rise to the occasion and score the upset?
As for the Ring Mag experts who are picking Inoue to score yet another important win by KO or stoppage, Doug Fisher, Inoue TKO, Lee Groves, Inoue KO 11, Ron Borges, Inoue TKO, Sergio Mora, Inoue KO, and Tom Gray, Inoue TKO10, are some of the people who feel it will be an inside schedule win for the Japanese star.
It’s a fascinating fight, it might prove to be a great fight on the night, and Inoue Vs. Fulton should see both men having to raise their game to secure the win.
Who are YOU picking?
Prediction: Inoue has to work hard to figure Fulton out, but once he does, he gets the late stoppage. Whether it’s with a head shot or with a body shot, Inoue will get the stoppage win.