Naoya Inoue wrapped up his shortest fight since February 2022 (a second-round technical knockout of Nonito Donaire) with an impressive display of punching power on Friday night, January 24.
In the fourth round, the undisputed super bantamweight champion ended his title bout against Ye Joon Kim with a thunderbolt of a straight overhand right, sending the South Korean challenger tumbling to the canvas at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
American referee Mark Nelson signaled the fight was over at the 2:25 mark of the fourth after Kim (21-3-2, 13 knockouts) failed to rise to his feet before the 10 count.
Inoue, who was an undisputed world champion at bantamweight before moving up to his current weight class, improved to 29-0 (26 KOs). He delivered another reminder that he's one of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters. Or, as many experts insist, the best.
It was Inoue's 24th consecutive world title fight, and it was Kim's first. Numbers that underscored the contrasting story of their fight careers.
Cautious at the get-go, as he gained a quick understanding of what he was up against, Inoue found his rhythm early on.
"Overall I think it was a good match. But I didn't have enough time to study my opponent so I took some time to see what's coming from him," Inoue said while standing in the ring after his triumph.
Goodman Replaced by Kim
Originally, the fight was scheduled to be held on December 24, 2024. But WBO's top-ranked super bantamweight Sam Goodman of Australia sustained a cut above his left eye in training in mid-December, and the fight was delayed one month. Then Goodman had a recurrence of the injury in January, forcing another change of plans.
Kim, ranked No 11 by the WBO, was named a late injury replacement 13 days before the fight, and Inoue acknowledged that he wasn't very familiar with his opponent.
But the hard-hitting Inoue put his stamp on the fight early on. In the opening round, the pride of Kanagawa Prefecture exhibited speed and power with both fists, utilizing aggressive fight tactics.
For Inoue, continuous use of his effective jab gave him ample opportunities to follow with his explosive right. Those one-two combinations were steady and put Kim on the defensive.
But the Korean fighter also relied on the element of surprise in his quest to earn an epic upset.
"Of course I came here to win, so this is difficult for me to take," Kim said after the match, according to Agence France-Presse. "My tactics were to get Inoue to come close to me and then hit him on the counter."
An Omen of Punches to Come
Although Kim hit his target in the second round, popping Inoue with a few body shots, the proud champion was ready for the challenge. He landed a number of potent two-punch combinations to show he was ready.
Inoue later mentioned again that he didn't have enough time to prepare for the bout.
"That was why I got [hit with] some unexpected punches, but I am OK," Inoue told the news conference.
In the same round, Inoue also hammered Kim with several powerful right-hand blows, inflicting obvious pain.
For Inoue, more of the same continued as the round progressed ― and a similar sequence of punching activity in the third round followed.
Inoue's full arsenal of punches, including expertly timed left hooks, did damage in this short fight.
What's Next for Naoya Inoue?
"I'm pretty sure 2025's going to be the big year for me," Inoue said of his boxing career.
Will his immediate future include a move to featherweight (126 pounds)?
"Not right now," he told the news conference, "because there are several opponents I probably have to fight at super bantamweight."
Bob Arum, Top Rank Boxing's head honcho, attended the fight and spoke to the crowd after "The Monster" retained his four world titles.
Arum said a fight for this spring is in the works for Inoue in Las Vegas.
Mexico's 24-year-old star Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) has been mentioned as Inoue's next opponent. Expect additional details in the coming weeks.
There's also talk of Inoue fighting in Saudi Arabia later this year. He signed a promotional contract with Riyadh Season in 2024.
Promoter Arum Looks Ahead
What's more, what Arum has called "the biggest fight in the history of Japan" could also take place in 2025. WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani (29-0, 22 KOs) is the planned opponent.
Arum's vision includes Nakatani fighting on Inoue's undercard in Las Vegas, then moving up to super bantamweight to take Inoue at Tokyo Dome before the calendar flips to 2026.
First things first: Nakatani is scheduled to face Mexico's David Cuellar (28-0, 18 KOs) on February 24 at Ariake Arena.
A successful boxing promoter for decades, the 93-year-old Arum drew a parallel between MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani and Inoue as he used the occasion to drum up interest in the fighter's upcoming plans.
"I just want to say another great performance by our champion here," Arum said. "And I observed that the great country of Japan has given [Shohei] Ohtani to the city of Los Angeles, and at least for one fight, the great country of Japan will give this great Inoue to the city of Las Vegas for one fight this spring."
Inoue's last eight fights were held in the Tokyo metropolitan region. His last overseas fight was in June 2021 against Michael Dasmarinas in Las Vegas.
Naoya Inoue's Commitment to Excellence
In a moment of clarity after conquering Kim, Inoue described what is his singular focus in every match.
"The only thing I can do is get better every time I get into the ring," Inoue told reporters after his 29th victory in 29 pro fights.
Earlier in the night, after his exultation of victory was palpable throughout the arena, Naoya Inoue displayed a showman's flair, tossing autographed T-shirts into the crowd. Treasured souvenirs for lucky boxing fans on this winter night.
His appreciation and gratitude for his fans' support is a continuous theme.
While still in the ring after the fight, Inoue expressed thanks for all of the spectators who filled the seats in the 15,000-seat arena.
"I am so happy to see more [people] than I expected," he said.
A Different Kind of Fatigue
This reporter has attended Naoya Inoue's last eight title fights in Japan and his post-fight comments each time highlighted the physical aspect of his success.
Something was different this time.
In reviewing the build-up to his victory over Kim and the unexpected change of plans along the way (Goodman in, Goodman out), The Monster admitted it was a tiring ordeal. But maybe not how you would've expected.
"Actually, I am very exhausted. It's not from my fight, but these past two months so many things have happened," Inoue told reporters, summing up his fight preparations.
"This is not physical fatigue but mental fatigue. Honestly, it was quite hard on me."
RELATED:
- Will Naoya Inoue Come Undone Against Late Replacement Ye Joon Kim?
- Naoya Inoue Ready for Big Show as He Defends Titles Against Ye Joon Kim
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Naoya Inoue to Fight Injury Replacement Ye Joon Kim on January 24
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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