Comments Thread For: Naoya Inoue Declines Mandatory, Plans for September Fight in Japan

[ZoddGutts]

Maybe Nery knocking him down has gotten into Inoue's head. No longer feels he is invincible and wants to play it safe. Explains why he won't move up in weight. Imagine if it was Gervonta Davis that landed that hit. He wouldn't have gotten up.

[Boro]

Maybe Nery knocking him down has gotten into Inoue's head. No longer feels he is invincible and wants to play it safe. Explains why he won't move up in weight. Imagine if it was Gervonta Davis that landed that hit. He wouldn't have gotten up.

Why are you even mentioning a guy who's 3 divisions above him and fought at 4 divisions higher!?

Should we be mentioning how Davis is "playing it safe" by not moving up and fighting Fundora or Adames which is the equivalent ask.

Or better yet Canelo because that would be the equivalent # of divisions Inoue would've moved through from the start of his career to fight Davis so at least be consistent with your BS.

[ZoddGutts]

Either way Inoue has stated he isn't moving up and is fighting a weaker opponent than what he was originally supposed fight.

[Lance98]

He is getting scared. Hype job got knocked down by a guy who is not that skilled.

[ShoulderRoll]

Since his 6th fight dude's had nothing but word title, unification & undisputed fights.

Anyone who read the recent Doheny interview can understand the marketing arc in Japan for giving the Aussie "villain" a shot at the champ.

Seems as if right now the Japanese want a particular brand of entertainment & Inoue is perfectly satisfied to be paid for providing it.

He'll get back to handling serious business next year, it's all he's ever done.

Just stop. Inoue is turning down an ordered mandatory against a guy who is the #1 ranked fighter at junior featherweight according to the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board.

The belts are going to get split up again.

[Dr. Z]

It's not about screwing Hearn, it's about money.

Doheny is a villain in Japan, much like Nery. He won his world title in Japan against a Japanese fighter, then he defended it in the US against a Japanese fighter, and more recently he has fought his last 3 fights in Japan winning them all.

Doheny is easily the worst option among himself, Akhmadaliev, Casimero, and Goodman as far as competition but as far as selling the fight in Japan it's no contest.

Doheny numbers are poor. He is 26-4, near 38 years old and is ranked #15th at Box Rec. He's a way past his prime batam weight fighter and that division ages fast in boxing.

Do the words cherry pick title defense ring any bells?

Inoue better not lose or be exposed Doheny by in victory

Meanwhile Inoue won't dare fight a Korea or Chinese fighter. That fight is political dynamite regardless of the rankings.

[Dr. Z]

He is getting scared. Hype job got knocked down by a guy who is not that skilled.

You smell that? Sniff - Sniff. Yeah he's getting scared.

[Elheath]

Well, the initial happiness aside once I calmed down this is almost exactly what I feared would happen. They aren't confirming it but given that it is less than 3 month from the next rumored fight I think the September fight with Doheny was all but officially signed and they probably already had a venue scheduled as well and just awaiting release, and then this came out of the blue. Why didn't they put the mandatory immediately after the Nery fight, or immediately after the whole Goodman debacle or atleast make the deadline in December? I guess they were too used to beltholders sitting for once a year fight and didn't consider that he already had plans for next fight?

Either that or they heard that Inoue already had a fight scheduled and thus slapped it on prior to the official release with the intent on breaking it apart. If so I hope MJ gets the belt just so it still leaves a chance for a redux undisputed sometime next year.

[Elheath]

Well, I guess my dream route needs an update now...September Doheny (eff you Goodman) in Japan, Goodman December just because, and undisputed redux with MJ next Spring, and Venado in Fall. :sigh:

[Elheath]

Terrible decision and completely out of character for Inoue to this point in his career. Akhmadaliev is a much, much more credible challenger than this version of Doheny.

Totally random question, but in a case where a fight was not officially announced yet but already handshake agreed upon from both promoters side and on the verge of just finalizing the fine print on the contract (or possibly even already signed) and then such a case occurs but the champion doesn't want to vacate the belt, how bad of a move from promotor's standpoint would it be for the A-side to say "Suddenly alphabet organization ordered it so this fight is a no go I'm fighting the mando, sorry buddy hopefully next time" and just drop to B-side, or would that be too harmful to future relations that it can't be done without significant backlash? I don't recall the details but was Opetaia getting stripped of his IBF belt for taking Saudi match against a different opponent than his mando a similar situation, granted it was also much better money?

I'm still not giving up the Inoue-MJ for next year tho. Or have MJ be the interim champion or Regular champion or whatever to still hold the unification chance alive.