Comments Thread For: Who will be Naoya Inoue?s rival?

[BoxingUpdates]

Now that Junto Nakatani escaped with a win over Sebastian Hernandez, who will be the next fighter to give Naoya Inoue a tough test?
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[tokon]

Nakatani definitely didn't look like that guy. He needs to grow into the weight more before challenging Inoue if he wants to be competitive. By which time Inoue is gonna be at 126.

[boxingitis]

Bam has the skill, but not the size.

[SteveM]

It's a shame that Bam is 7 years younger and 2 weight classles lower than Inoue. I'd like them to fight now while Inoue is still just about in his prime ( I suspect his pinnacle prime has already passed at 32 years old) .
Bam is a fantastic fighter but for me he gets a lot less credit for knocking off past prime Estrada and faded versions of Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai) - not his fault they were at the late stages of their careers but .... .
If Bam thinks like Crawford he jumps 2 considerably smaller gaps to 122 and challenges Inoue now - if he beats him he is straight to No.1 P4P - but that's not how matchmaking is done and I'd be amazed if that happens now.
A less risky fight for Bam would be Nakatani, now that he took significant damage. Or even Hernandez. But I think Bam will stay at 115 - he can fight Kenshiro (also faded) and move up to 118 to clear out that division which he's capable of doing.
Inoue should fight Nakatani - a difficult style matchup for him, Then I'd like to see him vs Ball - a great style matchup with Ball coming forward constantly, a lesser fighter but naturally bigger.

[57Blues]

Set them up and knock them down,

[SouthpawRight]

It's a shame that Bam is 7 years younger and 2 weight classles lower than Inoue. I'd like them to fight now while Inoue is still just about in his prime ( I suspect his pinnacle prime has already passed at 32 years old) .
Bam is a fantastic fighter but for me he gets a lot less credit for knocking off past prime Estrada and faded versions of Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai) - not his fault they were at the late stages of their careers but .... .
If Bam thinks like Crawford he jumps 2 considerably smaller gaps to 122 and challenges Inoue now - if he beats him he is straight to No.1 P4P - but that's not how matchmaking is done and I'd be amazed if that happens now.
A less risky fight for Bam would be Nakatani, now that he took significant damage. Or even Hernandez. But I think Bam will stay at 115 - he can fight Kenshiro (also faded) and move up to 118 to clear out that division which he's capable of doing.
Inoue should fight Nakatani - a difficult style matchup for him, Then I'd like to see him vs Ball - a great style matchup with Ball coming forward constantly, a lesser fighter but naturally bigger.

Jesse appears to truly be small and a real 115 fighter

TBud was a massive weight cutter who admitted to killing himself to make 135 and 140. In hindsight he had the size for 154 160 and 168

[IronDanHamza]

Would be great if it were Bam.

Will have to see how he moves through the weight but imagine if he filled out and they had an epic trilogy at 122.

[BlackRobb]

Monster is fading just a little, but he's still to fast on his feet and in the brain for Bam or Nick Ball. The absolute toughest test I see for Inoue is Espinoza, but he seldom fight.

[MalevolentBite]

I think Rafael Espinoza works him if he chooses to trade.

[MalevolentBite]

Jesse appears to truly be small and a real 115 fighter

TBud was a massive weight cutter who admitted to killing himself to make 135 and 140. In hindsight he had the size for 154 160 and 168

^^^^^^^^^^^^