There’s plenty of marvel and mystique around the man known as “The Monster.”

Naoya Inoue has been living up to his moniker in glorious fashion throughout his 12-year career, pulverizing every pugilist who has been placed in his path. 

The four-division champion has won undisputed honors at 118 pounds and is currently the junior featherweight king and reigning Fighter of the Year. 

But throughout the build-up of the Japanese sensation’s fight against Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome on Monday, sentiment has been shared by some boxing observers that Inoue next needs to take his act to the United States and not just remain “big in Japan.”

Inoue has fought just three times in the U.S., and even though he’s tied to a co-promotional pact with Top Rank, infrequently gracing the states has cut into opportunities to further grow his prolific profile.

But why would (or should) the idolized Inoue take his “globally trending” show on the road to try and replicate what Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao did before him? 

Over 55,000 fans will flock to the Tokyo Dome, the fabled baseball stadium, for the first boxing fight in the arena since 1990 when Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson. A $20 million gate is expected for Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) and Nery (35-1, 27 KOs), and both fighters will be breaking the bank handsomely.

As Inoue’s promoter Bob Arum recently stated so eloquently, Inoue opponents have their tongues wagging out for an invitation because the purses are so prolific. 

Ring walks are estimated at 7:35 a.m. ET on ESPN+, which means most boxing fans in the U.S. will have to make unique arrangements not to sleep on a modern great.

“Of course, if I fight in the United States, I would get more recognition and I could become one of the faces in boxing,” Inoue told BoxingScene through a translator during a video conference call.

“As I continue fighting, we'll see how it goes. … It depends on the condition. Right now, for the lower weight classes, Japan is a big stage for us. If there was a condition in the United States that allowed me to be evaluated better, that would be a consideration.”

Although the former two-division champion Nery is a +800 betting underdog against the -1400 favorite Inoue, the southpaw slugger is still expected to give Inoue a tough fight and not just another tongue-lashing.

Nery ignited a fire during the fight's buildup, telling BoxingScene he considered Inoue to be “overrated, overconfident, and ordinary.”

“I saw that interview,” said Inoue. “My previous opponents have said the same thing. … I give Nery the credit as a deserving opponent. I have no plans on losing. I am looking for a definite and decisive beatdown.”

Inoue, 31, will be fighting for the first time this year, after knocking out unified champions Stephen Fulton inside eight rounds and Marlon Tapales inside 10 rounds in 2023. 

“There are quite a few wins I would consider the best of my career, but if I had to choose one, it would be Fulton,” said Inoue.

Inoue is coming into the Nery fight on a seven-fight knockout streak that spans four years. 

The performances have catapulted Inoue to the top of the pound-for-pound list, and many consider him or Terence Crawford to be the world’s best fighter.

When Inoue is asked if he believes he’s the best boxer in the world, the generally stoic and mild-mannered Monster assesses the question from his translator, turns back to the camera as his face lights up and emphatically nods his head and says "yes" in English with a wide smile.

There is no arguing there, even if the global faces of boxing are the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and Crawford.

Arum, 92, says Inoue is one of the greatest fighters he has ever seen. 

As Inoue contemplates his opportunities fighting on U.S. soil – just imagine him fighting on another historic baseball field, at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani and his legion of fans sitting ringside – he’s also interested in a victory lap. 

Inoue was awarded 2023 Fighter of the Year honors by BoxingScene and the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). Inoue plans on returning to the U.S. for the BWAA dinner in New York on June 6 to accept his award in person. 

A potential stateside trip would serve Inoue well.

Top Rank also has a show at the nearby Madison Square Garden Theater on June 8, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame weekend of events takes place June 6-9 in Canastota, New York.

Inoue should certainly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day himself, whenever he retires.

Before getting too far ahead, though – Inoue isn’t even considering a move up to 126 pounds for now – he must first defend his titles in a tilt on home turf against Nery. 

“This is a big fight and a big promotion,” said Inoue. “It's been a long road for me to get to a big stage like this, and I am going to make the best of it.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.