Stephen Fulton, Naoya Inoue, Robeisy Ramirez, and Satoshi Shimizu all successfully make weight on Monday for their fights this Tuesday night at the Ariake in Tokyo, Japan, in an event that will be shown live on ESPN+ at 4:30 a.m. ET.
(Photo credit: Naoki Fukuda)
WBC & WBO super bantamweight champion Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) weighed 121.9 lbs and looked great in making weight. For his part, the Japanese star Naoya (24-0, 21 KOs) weighed in at 121.7 lbs.
Inoue looked like an angry person during the face-off with the American Fulton, perhaps angered about the remarks from his trainer about the excessive take that he uses for his hand wraps.
Fulton’s trainer said that they’ll pull out unless the former there-division world champion Inoue uses less tape. Inoue has responded to the threat of Fulton pulling out, saying that he won’t change. He’ll continue to use the method that is considered legal in Japan, but perhaps not in the U.S.
Tim Bradley says Naoya Inoue is creating a cast for all intents and purposes by using a “double stacking” method, which he says increases the power of his punches x ten.
If you’re Inoue, you’re not going to want to use tape because if that takes away his power, he won’t stand much of any change against Fulton. Inoue’s bread & butter is his power, not his boxing skills, and he’s not going to outbox s talent like Fulton.
Robeisy Ramirez (12-1,7 KOs) weighed in at 125.7 lbs for the title defense of his WBO featherweight title, while his opponent Satoshi Shimizu (11-1, 10 KOs) weighed in at 125.7 lbs.
Complete weights
• Stephen Fulton Jr. 121.9 vs. Naoya Inoue 121.7
• Robeisy Ramirez 125.7 vs. Satoshi Shimizu 125.7
• Kanamu Sakama 107.5 vs. Ryu Horikawa 107.8
• Yoshiki Takei 118.8 vs. Ronnie Baldonado 117.5
“[Fulton’s] trainer says we’re not going to allow him to step in the ring if that is allowed,” Bernardo Osuna to ESPN about Stephen Fulton’s trainer saying they’ll pull out of the fight unless Naoya Inoue changes the way his hands are wrapped, which Tim Bradley says, is a double-stacking method of using excessive tape to create a cast-like hand-wrap, designed to increase power on the punches.
“That’s a big threat to make, especially with all the money is at stake, but he says, ‘My fighter’s safety is at stake, and that’s more important than anything else.’
“We’re really going to have to see this game of chicken play out. Maybe they meet halfway. Stacking is allowed in Texas, Nevada, and Japan, but what you’re talking about is double-stacking, and that’s what they’re going to have a close eye on. So we’ll all see how it all plays out,” said Osuna.
“So that is the drama that is playing out as we approach Fulton vs. Inoue. Tuesday morning coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m. ET. The fight is in Japan,” said Joe Tessitore. “This is a dynamic match-up.
“We didn’t have to wait for the two championships deciding to fight.