Boxing

Naoya Inoue Ready for Big Show as He Defends Titles Against Ye Joon Kim

Bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue is "ready to put on the ultimate show" against last-minute substitute Ye Joon Kim in the January 24 world title defense.

Published on

January 21, 2025

JAPAN Forward

Undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue will defend his titles against WBO's 11th-ranked Ye Joon Kim on Friday, January 24 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Inoue holds an undefeated record of 28 wins with 25 knockouts. Kim, whose nickname is "Troublemaker," has 21 wins (13 knockouts), two losses and two draws.

This will be the 31-year-old Inoue's first time facing a South Korean fighter in a world title bout.

Originally, Inoue's match was scheduled for December 24, 2024, against Sam Goodman. However, the Australian suffered a cut above his left eyelid just before his planned trip to Japan in mid-December. After mutual agreement, the fight was postponed to January 24.

In early January, however, Goodman suffered another cut to the same area, requiring approximately six months of recovery, leading him to withdraw. As a result, the 32-year-old Kim, who had been on standby as a replacement, will now face Inoue.

Rescheduling the Naoya Inoue Title Fight

On January 11, Ohashi Boxing Gym chairman Hideyuki Ohashi held an emergency press conference. Ohashi revealed that Goodman's team informed him earlier that morning that the injury was significantly worse this time. It was, therefore, impossible to postpone the match again.

He also mentioned that he had already prepared for this scenario and contacted Kim, who agreed to the fight within 30-40 minutes. With approval from the four sanctioning bodies, the fight will proceed as a world title match.

Kim commented, "I've studied Inoue as a potential opponent ever since he moved up to super bantamweight. I have a 7-0 record against Japanese fighters and want to make this my eighth and biggest win."

On January 8, Inoue trained at Ohashi Boxing Gym and spoke with the press. Regarding the rescheduled fight, he said, "After the fight was delayed by a month, adjusting to the new schedule has been mentally tough."

Nevertheless, he stated that his preparation was going very well. "Normally, I would take about five weeks to make weight," he said. "This time, I had about eight to ten weeks because of the postponement."

If this adjustment results in a stronger performance, Inoue indicated, "it will serve as a valuable benchmark for future big matches."

*Naoya Inoue in an October 2024 file photo. (©SANKEI)*

Sights on Future Fights

Looking ahead, Inoue is focused on potential fights. These include bouts with Alan Picasso in the United States (Las Vegas) and Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh).

Inoue skipped the traditional New Year's shrine visit, spending January 1 training with his father and trainer, Shingo Inoue. He aims to deliver a performance that will excite both new fans and boxing enthusiasts alike.

"I'm fully prepared, and I'm ready to put on the ultimate show," Inoue said.

Will the South Korean challenger, competing in his first world title fight, suffer a knockout defeat at the hands of Inoue?

The match will be streamed for free on NTT Docomo's video service, Lemino.