Inoue final punch - good angle and slowmo

Inoue wanted Tapales to become aggressive, so he could find his openings. Otherwise, Tapales was just in a shell playing defensive and all night. Its a common Inoue tactic. It happens in all of his fights. He had openings, he just didn't want to jump in and pot-shot a short combo and jump back out. But he could have, any time he wanted, and that's exactly how he beat guys like Juan Carlos Payano and Kohei Kono. At any point in the fight he could have simply overwhelmed Tapales by moving in, hitting him two or three times, moving out, and repeating. It would just be methodical and less exciting, but doing so still would've gotten the stoppage earlier because Tapales wouldn't be landing anything back. Inoue chose the showman's route because of ego. He could have gotten the stoppage without putting himself in position to get hit but he wasn't threatened by Tapales' power so he chose to draw him into a firefight.

Inoue wanted Tapales to become aggressive, so he could find his openings. Otherwise, Tapales was just in a shell playing defensive and all night. Its a common Inoue tactic. It happens in all of his fights.

Don't know what fight you watched, but ok, whatever you want to think. All the evidence, including from Inoue himself, and what they were saying in the corner, disagrees with you. If you want to think Inoue fought on the back foot just randomly and let himself get hit by multiple combinations for no reason, there's not really anything more to tell you. The reason was he wanted the drama. It was pure ego on his part and I said so watching it live. It's not that he got hit on purpose, it's that he was willing to put himself in those positions because he wanted to put on a firefight for the crowd. This fight wasn't fought at a fraction of the intensity with which he fought Donaire the first time. He could have gotten in and out and landed unanswered shots whenever he wanted but he was looking for a firefight with a highlight reel KO at the end of it. Tapales is tough and he fought as well as he could have but Inoue never turned it up to full intensity even in the last round.

I disagree. I think Inoue realized he could turn it up and stop Tapales at any moment. I think he wanted to put on a show for the fans and chose to extend the fight. Tapales was rocked several times and Inoue chose not to pursue him because he wanted rounds. He wasn't threatened by Tapales' power and wanted to draw him into a firefight when he could have just picked him apart and stopped him at his leisure with combinations. Don't know what fight you watched, but ok, whatever you want to think. All the evidence, including from Inoue himself, and what they were saying in the corner, disagrees with you. If you want to think Inoue fought on the back foot just randomly and let himself get hit by multiple combinations for no reason, there's not really anything more to tell you.

There was a reason for that. He was choosing to get hit to land his own offense more cleanly because Tapales was defending very well and not showing that he was hurt at all. So Inoue was having to pull more tricks out in an effort to break him down. Tapales had the speed to counter Inoue effectively, and Inoue clearly felt his power and felt he could afford to take a punch in exchange for landing his own. The faces after prove that was a good call. One would think you'd be able to figure this stuff out though? Do you honestly think Inoue does things for no reason? Thanks OP for the slow-mo. Those temple shots are pretty hard to get legs back from. There will always be fools who think that Tapales quit, but that's solid evidence for those in the know that he legit got stopped. Looks like the glove didn't catch as much as I initially thought either. I disagree. I think Inoue realized he could turn it up and stop Tapales at any moment. I think he wanted to put on a show for the fans and chose to extend the fight. Tapales was rocked several times and Inoue chose not to pursue him because he wanted rounds. He wasn't threatened by Tapales' power and wanted to draw him into a firefight when he could have just picked him apart and stopped him at his leisure with combinations.

Inoue showing no damage is nuts considering he got hit quite a bit in that fight due to his willingness to stand and trade for no reason. There was a reason for that. He was choosing to get hit to land his own offense more cleanly because Tapales was defending very well and not showing that he was hurt at all. So Inoue was having to pull more tricks out in an effort to break him down. Tapales had the speed to counter Inoue effectively, and Inoue clearly felt his power and felt he could afford to take a punch in exchange for landing his own. The faces after prove that was a good call. One would think you'd be able to figure this stuff out though? Do you honestly think Inoue does things for no reason? Thanks OP for the slow-mo. Those temple shots are pretty hard to get legs back from. There will always be fools who think that Tapales quit, but that's solid evidence for those in the know that he legit got stopped. Looks like the glove didn't catch as much as I initially thought either.

bonus video: faces of the two boxers post fight: https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/18rlmop/photos_of_tapales_and_inoues_faces_at_the/ Inoue showing no damage is nuts considering he got hit quite a bit in that fight due to his willingness to stand and trade for no reason.

bonus video: faces of the two boxers post fight: https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/18rlmop/photos_of_tapales_and_inoues_faces_at_the/