Comments Thread For: Naoya Inoue Rules Out Immediate Move To Featherweight

[Lance98]

Inoue has beaten a pack of bums. He got dropped by a reckless, unskilled guy that couldn't even set up his punches right in his last fight, so it's natural that he is worried and he is in his 30s, not getting any younger.

[BlackRobb]

I'm curious, who's hiding from Crawford right now? He's my favorite fighter but I don't think anyone is avoiding him at the moment. Boots wanted to fight him and he hasn't fought at 154 yet to say anyone is avoiding him.

Jermell got really quiet after Bud destroyed Spence. Tszyu started talking about fighting Spence after the Thurman fight once Bud activated his WBO mandatory. Spence turned down the rematch with Bud. Fundora immediately pivoted to Spence after the win over Tszyu, despite knowing he'd be stripped of the WBO belt he just won.

It appears you have not been paying attention.

[Dr. Z]

A Chinese or Korean opponent will be HUGE. If he won't move up to 126, maybe he can fight one of them? It is not all about the Japanese tickets! China or Korea will back the man, I assure you.

There are no Chinese or Korean opponents remotely close to being deserving of an Inoue fight. There's not a single Chinese or Korean fighter in the top 10 by any independent media outlet and there's not a single one in the top 15 of any of the official sanctioning body rankings.

You're not getting it, and are servely underselling the Japan vs. Korea or China rivalry. It is a heated relationship. $$$ and they would fight for something beside $$$, national pride.

Like it or not, this sports rivalry is like when a Cuba faces Mexico in the ring is there. The lines are well drawn out. There are some undefeated Koreans or Chinese boxers you know. To even the odds makes fight at 126 or 135 ( The weight of Inoue on fight night ) if need be to even the odds.

This fight would mean a lot more than Inoue vs. some random contender. Inoue is a boxer without a credible dance partner. As I said before, the talent pool at 122 is very thin. Are you dis*****g that?

Let monster defend his belt vs. a Chinese or Korean fighter. I'm telling you, it will be BIG. Like Godzilla vs. A Chinese Dragon or Korean Haechi.

This propesed fight is not about rankings@122. It is about $$$, and national pride.

[Dr. Z]

He was caught on camera last week telling Jorge Linares candidly that he plans to move up sometime next year. So 2, maximum of 3 more fights at 122.

He also said that he generally weighs about 136 in the ring.

So he picks on smaller men below his size and uses the 122 bar to hide his true weight in the fight? Well, he is famous so...

You say he is 136 pounds? Nothing like a light weight masquerading as a as bantam weight. Fight at you real weight. The weight classes are partly there to ensure a fair fight and to protect themselves. A reason why there is so much tragedy is boxing's lower weight classes. Guys do not fight at their real weight, they try and do game the system.

Is he on PED's too? I really do not know, but I do know this, his shallow talent at 122 lbs is happy to fight him and will not dare flag him because he is doing them a favor. $$$.

So he passes the drug test easily until he doesn't? As stated, I do not know.

Is@ambling high in Japan? I looked it up

Since it is pervasive, @ambling addiction rates in Japan are also high. Based on a 2021 survey, @ambling disorders affected 3.7% of male and 0.7% of female participants in Japan.

[ELPacman]

I don't mind him staying where he can perform at his top peak performance. Though I do feel he needs to really come over to the US more often if he wants to become a truly "global" star.

As much as we all know him in the boxing world, the casuals really don't and that might be shocking. The fact that his fights air in the US at hours that make it impossible for casuals to watch him live means they don't have a clue of his existence.

[crimsonfalcon07]

You really got people in here complaining about Inoue being a weight bully when he's clearly not the bigger man in the ring and pretty much never has been? Where was Dr Z when Devin Haney fought Loma? How about weighing in 25 lbs heavier than Prograis on fight night? Get a clue. As long as weight cutting is legal, EVERY boxer outside of heavyweight will do it.

[Elheath]

A Chinese or Korean opponent will be HUGE. If he won't move up to 126, maybe he can fight one of them? It is not all about the Japanese tickets! China or Korea will back the man, I assure you.



You're not getting it, and are servely underselling the Japan vs. Korea or China rivalry. It is a heated relationship. $$$ and they would fight for something beside $$$, national pride.

Like it or not, this sports rivalry is like when a Cuba faces Mexico in the ring is there. The lines are well drawn out. There are some undefeated Koreans or Chinese boxers you know. To even the odds makes fight at 126 or 135 ( The weight of Inoue on fight night ) if need be to even the odds.

This fight would mean a lot more than Inoue vs. some random contender. Inoue is a boxer without a credible dance partner. As I said before, the talent pool at 122 is very thin. Are you dis*****g that?

Let monster defend his belt vs. a Chinese or Korean fighter. I'm telling you, it will be BIG. Like Godzilla vs. A Chinese Dragon or Korean Haechi.

This propesed fight is not about rankings@122. It is about $$$, and national pride.

Boxing fans in Japan will certainly be pissed off if Inoue wastes a precious match by somehow fighting a C-rated Korean or Chinese boxer just because he is Korean or Chinese domestic garbage who is undefeated due to only fighting other club level fighters.

Forget Inoue himself, there is not one Korean or Chinese boxer that can defeat even Inoue's lesser brother Takuma right now in that vicinity of weight class...that is how bad Korean/Chinese boxing overall is right now. If you want to see exactly how bad it is, look at how many boxers of that region even holds a REGIONAL belt. Everyone already knows there are zero world champions. Or, for an easier comparison look at the boxing rankings of the alphabet soup belts and see how many guys are ranked even in one ranking on the tail end. I bet outside the one obvious Zhilei Zhang you will have trouble finding even a handful.

Just because the countries hate eachother doesn't mean a total waste of time one sided boredom is wanted. US and Russia are essentially in a pseudo war but do you think American baseball fans would rather watch the AL allstars play the NL allstars in an US only game, or the MLB allstars play the Russian national baseball team (if they even have one) to a 5 inning cold game victory of 38-0 or something like that.

Now, a Japanese domestic level fighter with no hope for world title fighting the top Korean dudes will have a better backing in terms of patriotism and more excitement than wasting Inoue.

[bostonsmarkd]

Um Crawford cleaned out JWW and WW. Letās not forget that and he was Ring and multiple belt holder at LW.

Usyk imo is #1. Inoue 2. Crawford falls to 3 because of inactivity.

I think all 3 have huge accomplishments on their resumes that should be recognized and respected.

Boots Ennis? Shouldn't Crawford have taken him on to truly clean out 147 ?

[F l i c k e r]

I mean, bro said it right after he knocked out Nery. He's going to fight that Australian guy next and then move up. That's his mandatory anyway.

[F l i c k e r]

Boots Ennis? Shouldn't Crawford have taken him on to truly clean out 147 ?

That's not Crawford's way.

He lets the division wipe itself out and then smash and grabs all the belts at once.

That's his tried and true plan that has been 100% successful thus far. No damage. No wear and tear. Shows up the fresher guy and takes it all.