It seems pretty clear to everyone that Naoya Inoue is a truly incredible fighter, a generational talent, a future Hall of Famer, and almost certainly a fighter who is destined to be ranked as an all-time great. Indeed, Inoue, as super-special as he is, could have competed in ANY era. Can you list a weakness Inoue has? Just one? No, because there are zero holes in his game.
Punching power? Of course, with Inoue having venom in both hands, the option open to him as far as whether he takes a rival out with a head shot or a body shot. Chin? Solid as a rock. Inoue has been hit, but he has not once been noticeably hurt in a fight, and Inoue has been in there with some good punchers. Stamina? To die for. Has Inoue ever looked tired in a fight? No, he has not, this due to his incredible work ethic and the fact that he lives the life, never putting on too much weight between fights. It also helps a bunch that Inoue is 100 percent a pro, a man who never takes any opponent for granted or looks past the man in front of him.
Inoue has also shown, in a world title campaign that has seen him rule at light flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight, and super bantamweight, that his speed and power have gone up in weight with him. Inoue, at age 30, is getting better and better, greater and greater. “The Monster’s” 10th round stoppage win over a game and at times quite tricky Marlon Tapales was a joy to watch, the sight of greatness unfolding before one’s eyes always nothing but a treat.
And how much more can Inoue, 25-0(23) go on to achieve?
In the opinion of plenty of us, there may be only two things that can defeat Inoue – age and too big a jump up in weight. There was a time, not all that long ago, when the age of 30 and beyond caused problems for lower weight fighters who are reliant on their reflexes. Inoue, despite having skills that have been referred to as ‘otherworldly,’ is in fact human, and one day, if he’s still fighting, Father Time will catch up with him. But as clean as he lives, as fresh as he remains after being a pro for a little over 11 years, and as free as he has been from anything like punishing fights, it could be some time before Inoue falls victim to Father Time.
So, in the meantime, this leaves just weight, and Inoue making the mistake of trying to put on too much as he seeks yet more world titles. But Inoue is a smart guy, and he has said that, for now, the 122 pound division is “my division.” Don’t go expecting Inoue to do anything foolish like trying to go up to featherweight before he fully believes he is ready, with it being possible that the Japanese superstar will never actually try his hand above 122. By the way, speaking about foolishness, can any talk of a fight between Inoue and Tank Davis please cease? Tank is absolutely and so obviously far too big for Inoue, as anyone who isn’t carrying the agenda of being hell-bent on seeing Inoue get beaten agrees.
No, Inoue will continue to dominate at 122 pounds for the foreseeable future, and he will only move up in search of a fifth world title when he’s good and ready, if at all. Next up, it could be Luis Nery for Inoue (with this fight already being hinted at for May), or maybe Murodjon Akhmadaliev, with Sam Goodman also mentioned as a possible dance partner for Inoue in 2024.
But can any 122 pounder out there defeat Inoue? Heck, it’s a tough task for a fighter to win rounds against Inoue, let alone actually defeat him, so supreme is Inoue in all departments. A perfect fighting machine? If there is such a thing, Inoue might just be it.
Inoue may also be well on his way towards picking up the Fighter of the Year award for 2023, and “The Monster” may well be placed at the top of the pile on a number of year-end pound-for-pound lists. Inoue has an army of fans, supporters, and admirers, who feel he more than deserves both.