Comments Thread For: The Beltline: After a perfect run of three, Naoya Inoue takes his foot off the gas

[liuj88]

The belts have been spun nicely but they are bargaining chips, at a certain point.

Can you elaborate on how belts are used as bargaining chips?

The intervention of the Middle East power brokers will invariably, ultimately show the belts true worth by forcing matches that would make champs think twice about their bargaining chip.

I think this may also have the reverse effect, i.e., this may encourage champs to sit and wait for better and better offers, and make fighters in general accept less and less risk.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Doheny is still a ranked opponent, unlike the opponents of some other big names we could name too. And Inoue is still carried by the WBA as their champion at 122, likely because they realized that the IBF is due first, and they don't have any right to cut, and, most importantly, they don't want to lose their cut of the lighter weight cash cow purses. If they screw around, Inoue's promoter will likely suggest that they save the WBA belt for last next time he goes for undisputed, and then vacate it again immediately after winning it, if he can manage to aggregate all the belts once more in a new weight class.

[Elheath]

I'm most interested in two things for this fight...and they are:
1) Is MJ going to actually show up and demand a fight? He's been quiet all leading up to and past the Nery fight, got very loud for the two weeks when Doheny was all but confirmed, and now back to being silent now that Inoue is about to be free again which makes me wonder if he is really interested in a fight at all?
2) Is Sam Goodman going to show up again and make another bravado statement after the WTF that happened last time? If so what is he going to say?

[Corelone]

Maybe the monster will just ride off into the sunset? All it takes is one punch to change your mind. 126 might not happen.

[BoxWhere]

I'm most interested in two things for this fight...and they are:
1) Is MJ going to actually show up and demand a fight? He's been quiet all leading up to and past the Nery fight, got very loud for the two weeks when Doheny was all but confirmed, and now back to being silent now that Inoue is about to be free again which makes me wonder if he is really interested in a fight at all?
2) Is Sam Goodman going to show up again and make another bravado statement after the WTF that happened last time? If so what is he going to say?

Yeah mj is so weird dude just refuses to fight anyone. And moment inoue has a date he comes out of nowhere shouting. Then goes back to being quiet.

And goodman is weird too, he says he wants the fight but everytime the inoue fight comes near he backs out.

[_Rexy_]

yeah silly fighter wanted to fight often

Could have waited a month for the biggest fight of his career, but instead decided to fight a tuneup, and now is likely going to wait for a title shot after Inoue moves up (which was likely his intent anyways)

Doheny is WBO #2. Mandatory fulfilled.

[_Rexy_]

I'm most interested in two things for this fight...and they are:
1) Is MJ going to actually show up and demand a fight? He's been quiet all leading up to and past the Nery fight, got very loud for the two weeks when Doheny was all but confirmed, and now back to being silent now that Inoue is about to be free again which makes me wonder if he is really interested in a fight at all?
2) Is Sam Goodman going to show up again and make another bravado statement after the WTF that happened last time? If so what is he going to say?

Fulton was talking to fans on twitter about that last month. When MJ was loudly calling for Inoue after Goodman ducked, Fulton was saying how he felt MJ was just blowing smoke, and he doubted he wanted to face Inoue at all.

Apparently Fulton had reached out to MJ for undisputed prior to the Inoue fight taking place.

[Slip jab]

Because of what Naoya has accomplished so far everyone should be cool with this fight.if anyone should be facing more quality opponents it should be Tank, boots etc Expectations and standards need changing. Lesser “stars “ should be called out too. Why isn’t certain guys held to any standard.