Is Naoya Inoue The Most Skilled Fighter Ever?

"Ever" {"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","data-attachmentid":32422502}

i didnt mention anything close to this... and he has 3 fights this year, it's not like they are all against TOP contenders.. so this goes back to my point... he's fighting 3 time this year but it's not against top level fighters. so he's putting wear and tear on his body for fights that arent consider big fights... all im saying is, maybe fight 2 x a year... fight once at the beginning and another one towards the end... this way he has time to fully recover... fight twice for a few years and then if he wants to do 3 x a year, he can go back to it but he needs some rest before going back to fighting 3 x a year. Picasso, Nakatani or MJ, and Nick Ball — this is an insane run, guy.

Talented af, is doing what we wish most, if not all, fighters would do but he is not the most skilled. Still 1b to Usyks 1a p4p

boxing camps are usually 6 to 8 weeks so thats training for about a third of the year give or take, not the whole year. i do take your point on sparring which should be limited in general, but my overall point is to have the same amount of fights during your prime instead of stretching out your career over say 2 decades canelo/floyd style because the back half is just a bunch of BS fights and obvious cherry picking. also fighting 3 times a year during your prime will probably keep a fighter sharper in the ring and lead to better performances, yes they might take a bit more wear and tear but like i said we dont need octogenarians in there clogging up boxing when they shouldnt be the stars anymore but that hold on fame is a tantalizing one. it's basically training thru out the whole year... i never said he's training every single day... but he fights 3x a year... he just fought in Jan.. and is planning on fighting again in June.. so in April, he'll start training again for the june fight.. then his 3rd fight is set for Sept.. so after june, he'll be in training again in July for his sept fight. and he's looking to fight in December also, so after his sept fight, he'll be in training come October.. That's pretty much training thru out the whole year.

It does happen and is to be expected BUT there are a select few who have been seriously cracked and never gone down. Guys like Usyk, Bivol, Breidis, Vitalli Klitschko, GGG, Hagler, Marciano as well as having exceptional skills also have/had elite chins. Time will tell with Inoue but I'm sceptical as we've already seen him down at 122lbs so I'd imagine the chances of him going down at featherweight should increase just like when Loma went up to lightweight fighting bigger guys. PS I deliberately omitted Canelo from that list of fighters never to be knocked down because the ropes kept him up after getting clipped by Cotto's brother - had the ropes not been there he would've been on the canvas but obviously the ref turned a blind eye! He's in his fifth weight class.

Meh, it happens. Nonito caught him early in the second round and broke his orbital bone. Inoue himself said the punch didn't hurt — it just caused damage because boxing. That set up later punches that landed due to compromised vision. The nuclear right hand in the 9th round should have ended Inoue as it would have ended anyone. Inoue buckled and recovered seconds later. For the Nery fight, Inoue said he wanted to make a statement and even said during the lead up that it could be an early night. Plus he was partially tripped. But he got up at 7, eyes clear, clinched, circled, and then countered Nery 3X whilst against the ropes as Nery tried to finish him. Inoue's chin is elite. It does happen and is to be expected BUT there are a select few who have been seriously cracked and never gone down. Guys like Usyk, Bivol, Breidis, Vitalli Klitschko, GGG, Hagler, Marciano as well as having exceptional skills also have/had elite chins. Time will tell with Inoue but I'm sceptical as we've already seen him down at 122lbs so I'd imagine the chances of him going down at featherweight should increase just like when Loma went up to lightweight fighting bigger guys. PS I deliberately omitted Canelo from that list of fighters never to be knocked down because the ropes kept him up after getting clipped by Cotto's brother - had the ropes not been there he would've been on the canvas but obviously the ref turned a blind eye!

I agree that Inoue should take it easy in 2026 and fight only 2X.

Chin is up for debate... Donaire had him seeing stars & broke his orbital bone with a single left hook and Nery was able to drop him with a single shot. Elite skilled fighters know how to ride shots to take the sting off or in the correct position to minimise any potential damage. Meh, it happens. Nonito caught him early in the second round and broke his orbital bone. Inoue himself said the punch didn't hurt — it just caused damage because boxing. That set up later punches that landed due to compromised vision. The nuclear right hand in the 9th round should have ended Inoue as it would have ended anyone. Inoue buckled and recovered seconds later. For the Nery fight, Inoue said he wanted to make a statement and even said during the lead up that it could be an early night. Plus he was partially tripped. But he got up at 7, eyes clear, clinched, circled, and then countered Nery 3X whilst against the ropes as Nery tried to finish him. Inoue's chin is elite.

Chin is up for debate... Donaire had him seeing stars & broke his orbital bone with a single left hook and Nery was able to drop him with a single shot. Elite skilled fighters know how to ride shots to take the sting off or in the correct position to minimise any potential damage. Ali was dropped four times Just sayin’

He's lost maybe 2-3 rounds at 122 while knocking out Fulton, Tapales, Nery, Doheny, and Kim, and taking no damage. He's having to load up because these dudes are rehydrating a ton. Those guys are nowhere near ATG. Good wins no doubt though.

Chin is up for debate... Donaire had him seeing stars & broke his orbital bone with a single left hook and Nery was able to drop him with a single shot. Elite skilled fighters know how to ride shots to take the sting off or in the correct position to minimise any potential damage.

so you act like he doesnt train for any of these fights??? your body will take a toll if you are constantly "training".. it doesnt matter if he doesnt take much damage during the actual fight, he is still putting in the work during training (sparring, etc) leading up to the fight and since he fights 3x a year, he will almost be in training mode for the whole year.... you honestly dont see anything wrong with this for long term stability? boxing camps are usually 6 to 8 weeks so thats training for about a third of the year give or take, not the whole year. i do take your point on sparring which should be limited in general, but my overall point is to have the same amount of fights during your prime instead of stretching out your career over say 2 decades canelo/floyd style because the back half is just a bunch of BS fights and obvious cherry picking. also fighting 3 times a year during your prime will probably keep a fighter sharper in the ring and lead to better performances, yes they might take a bit more wear and tear but like i said we dont need octogenarians in there clogging up boxing when they shouldnt be the stars anymore but that hold on fame is a tantalizing one.

What about fighters of the past ; how the fugh did they cope fighting way more often than Inoue or anybody else for that matter ??? Let me add those guys fought 15 rounds let alone the stone cold fighters who fought two to three times a week until his opponent wouldn’t get up S M F H and look at where/how those fighters are now... most cant even put a complete sentence together. plus you cant compared everyone to the same standard... that was a different era.. lots has changed since then and every fighter is different.

just because he didnt take much damage doesnt mean anything.. you have to factor in the training time.. he's putting a lot of wear and tear on his body and mind by being too active. being too active is not always a good thing. you gotta let your body and mind rest so that you can be fresh. if he goes thru with the 3 fight this year and comes out winning all 3, he should really consider taking it slower in 2026. What about fighters of the past ; how the fugh did they cope fighting way more often than Inoue or anybody else for that matter ??? Let me add those guys fought 15 rounds let alone the stone cold fighters who fought two to three times a week until his opponent wouldn’t get up S M F H

That is Ricardo Lopez or Sugar Ray Robinson or Whittaker or Floyd

I always say he reminds me of RJJ back in the day, a great display of talent/skill that brings dominance. He's the lower weight version of Roy to me. Also the way Inoue disposes his opponents, feels like he's needs a challenge.

Well hopefully 1 of the fights is against murjodan and I'm not sure how much wear and tear he's taking by blowing these guys out. He's going to age anyway so might as well take advantage of his prime. so you act like he doesnt train for any of these fights??? your body will take a toll if you are constantly "training".. it doesnt matter if he doesnt take much damage during the actual fight, he is still putting in the work during training (sparring, etc) leading up to the fight and since he fights 3x a year, he will almost be in training mode for the whole year.... you honestly dont see anything wrong with this for long term stability?

He doesn't fight large very well at all. But fights tiny brilliantly

i didnt mention anything close to this... and he has 3 fights this year, it's not like they are all against TOP contenders.. so this goes back to my point... he's fighting 3 time this year but it's not against top level fighters. so he's putting wear and tear on his body for fights that arent consider big fights... all im saying is, maybe fight 2 x a year... fight once at the beginning and another one towards the end... this way he has time to fully recover... fight twice for a few years and then if he wants to do 3 x a year, he can go back to it but he needs some rest before going back to fighting 3 x a year. Well hopefully 1 of the fights is against murjodan and I'm not sure how much wear and tear he's taking by blowing these guys out. He's going to age anyway so might as well take advantage of his prime.

Ah you want him to artificially extending his career by fighting less and taking on bums...canelo style. I say fight the tough fights as often as is reasonably possible and let's see what happens. We don't want old men like canelo and Floyd hanging around till 40 cherry picking i didnt mention anything close to this... and he has 3 fights this year, it's not like they are all against TOP contenders.. so this goes back to my point... he's fighting 3 time this year but it's not against top level fighters. so he's putting wear and tear on his body for fights that arent consider big fights... all im saying is, maybe fight 2 x a year... fight once at the beginning and another one towards the end... this way he has time to fully recover... fight twice for a few years and then if he wants to do 3 x a year, he can go back to it but he needs some rest before going back to fighting 3 x a year.