Even the most dominant pound-for-pound fighters have physical boundaries.
For the undefeated two-division champion, Naoya Inoue, it appears there`s a definite ceiling to how high he plans to move up in weight through the lower divisions.
The reigning super-bantamweight king recently delivered another electrifying performance against Ramon Cardenas, successfully defending all four of his major world titles.
However, before achieving a spectacular eighth-round stoppage victory, “The Monster” was forced to recover from a knockdown in the second round of their contest earlier this month.
That moment demonstrated Inoue`s incredible toughness and resilience, proving he possesses not only the power to end fights dramatically but also the chin to withstand adversity.
Before potentially moving up further, the four-weight world champion is first set to face WBA interim titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Their fight is anticipated for September, likely taking place in Tokyo, Japan, although a specific date and location are yet to be officially confirmed.
Following the Akhmadaliev bout, the 32-year-old star – barring an enticing showdown with WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani – is highly expected to establish himself in the featherweight division.
Regarding potential opponents at featherweight later this year, Queensberry promoter Frank Warren has openly discussed WBA world champion Nick Ball as a possible challenger.
Despite any future plans, it`s clear that Inoue has no interest in campaigning beyond the 126-pound weight class.
Speaking to The Ring, the Japanese boxing sensation stated:
Featherweight is my limit. I’m not interested in going any higher.
He elaborated on his decision:
If I were 170 cm tall, it would be different. But there is a limit to how much I can build, frame-wise. Even at junior featherweight, I’m building muscle one by one, building up my physique and taking on the challenge.
