Who can beat Naoya Inoue at 126?

[-Kev-]

Now that he’s pretty much cleaned out 122 of anyone that really matters, he should move up to 126. But there’s no one there that would beat him IMO.

Who do you all think would beat him up there?

That KD is probably the WORST thing that future opponents will focus on. Because that will give many foes false confidence and open themselves up for Inoue’s one punch power.

[Mexican_Puppet]

All the current champs would be WAY BETTER than any fight in his past.

I think Venado López can be a good rival.

Robeisy Ramirez too, Rafael Espinoza.

Brandon Figueroa is stronger and better than Nery too.

Those guys are more durable, BIGGERS, TALLERS, STRONGERS, most of them could fight in 130 too.

But Inoue career was with risk calculated.

He wont fight any of those champs in a good time.

He will be fighting average fighters in 122 in full stadiums in Japan.

[Malvado]

I think Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza have the best odds stylistically. Those two check all the boxes (at least to me) and bring different advantages to the table that make it difficult for Naoya Inoue.

Robeisy's case is his skills shown by his Olympic pedigree and punching power. Rafael has lot of reach, while he throws 80 punches per round. He can box pretty well too.

Luis Alberto Lopez has a puncher's doesn't have the skills to win, similarly to Luis Nery who by the way has confirmed he is moving up. Panthera vs Venado might be a entertaining fight.

Vargas seems to be this worn out at this point and was one of the weaker champions. Nick Ball should have won but even then not sure if he has shown enough.

Figueroa might be big, but he is a accumulative puncher with average power and porous defense. He is odds are worse than Nery's against Inoue despite having beaten him based on styles.

[-Kev-]

All the current champs would be WAY BETTER than any fight in his past.

I think Venado López can be a good rival.

Robeisy Ramirez too, Rafael Espinoza.

Brandon Figueroa is stronger and better than Nery too.

Those guys are more durable, BIGGERS, TALLERS, STRONGERS, most of them could fight in 130 too.

But Inoue career was with risk calculated.

He wont fight any of those champs in a good time.

He will be fighting average fighters in 122 in full stadiums in Japan.

The #1 ranked guy at 126, Jose Luis Alberto, is 5’4”…that’s definitely not TALLER. 17 KO’s in 32 wins isn’t necessarily more powerful either.

Vargas has 2 and a half inches on Inoue. Okay, but his style is tailor made for Inoue.

Rafael Espinoza, at 6’1”, could be the only legit threat to Inoue at 126. But I don’t even know how he makes the weight and if he’ll be there when Inoue moves up.

I need to see more from Raymond Ford. He has a title, he can be called “champion”, but didn’t that title by beating the best. Something that is very common in pro boxing. Dudes winning championship titles by beating no one of note.

[Roadblock]

I dont think he will have real competition until he hits 130 he is the same height as Davis so he may get there yet.