TOKYO: Naoya Inoue’s nickname is “Monster” and with just right reason why – he is considered certainly one of boxing’s best possible pound-for-pound opponents and has gained all his 21 bouts, 18 via knockout. The reigning WBA and IBF bantamweight international champion made his Las Vegas debut remaining yr with a normally devastating knockout win and fights again house in Japan for the primary time in two years day after today.

Thailand’s Aran Dipaen is predicted to pose few issues at a sumo corridor in Tokyo for the ferocious-punching 28-year-old Inoue, who has set his points of interest on unifying all 4 primary bantamweight belts subsequent yr. “I wish to win in some way that absolutely exceeds expectancies,” Inoue stated forward of the combat with Dipaen, the IBF’s sixth-ranked challenger, who has a 12-2 report with 11 knockouts. “I don’t wish to let him contact me. I don’t wish to let him even graze me.”

Inoue, who comes from a boxing circle of relatives, burst directly to the scene as an novice and has blitzed his means thru fighters since turning skilled in 2012. Despite the fact that he’s a celebrity in Japan, his restricted publicity in the United States manner he’s nonetheless one thing of an enigma out of the country. After knocking out Australia’s Jason Moloney within the 7th spherical of an crowd pleasing Las Vegas debut in October 2020, he returned there in June this yr to dispatch Michael Dasmarinas of the Philippines within 3 rounds, once more via KO.

‘Generational skill’
Veteran American promoter Bob Arum – who signed Inoue to his Most sensible Rank strong to combat in the United States – had no doubts the Eastern fighter is ready for international stardom. “Naoya Inoue is a generational skill, any such fighter who comes round as soon as a decade,” stated Arum – who has labored with greats from Muhammad Ali to Manny Pacquiao in a mythical profession spanning part a century. “He’ll be a big superstar stateside very quickly. You’re looking at an all-time nice who’s coming into the high of what is going to be a ancient profession.”

Inoue took up boxing at an early age. His father Shingo is a former novice whilst his more youthful brother Takuma is a fellow skilled with a 15-1 win-loss report and has held the WBC meantime bantamweight identify. Naoya Inoue began his profession at mild flyweight, shooting the WBC crown in simplest his 6th skilled combat. He vacated the identify to problem Argentine WBO tremendous flyweight champion Omar Narvaez, and knocked him out in the second one spherical.

Inoue moved as much as bantamweight and claimed the WBA belt in his first identify combat, sooner than profitable the Global Boxing Tremendous Sequence in November 2019. His epic ultimate victory over Filipino veteran four-weight international champion Nonito Donaire in a brutal contest was once voted combat of the yr via the Boxing Writers Affiliation of The us. It was once the primary time Inoue were severely examined in his skilled profession. He suffered a fractured proper eye socket and double imaginative and prescient early within the combat sooner than combating again to flooring Donaire within the eleventh spherical and seal a unanimous issues win.

Quiet perfectionist
Dipaen is not likely to offer him a equivalent exercise in Tokyo, however more potent demanding situations lie forward as Inoue eyes a bout in opposition to every other Filipino, WBO champion John Riel Casimero, subsequent yr. Inoue is a perfectionist who incessantly publicizes himself unhappy together with his performances, even after blowing fighters away. He may well be a “monster” within the ring, however Inoue is quiet and mild-mannered clear of boxing. He married his youth sweetheart and has 3 youngsters. Inoue has ambitions of a transfer up in weight elegance as soon as he has completed steamrolling the bantamweight department.

Inoue’s center of attention stays only on a a success protection of his WBA and IBF belts day after today. “There are many expectancies on me for this combat, but when I am getting stuck up within the environment, the place everybody needs me to knock him out early, I gained’t if truth be told be capable to field,” native media quoted him as pronouncing of the Dipaen contest. No matter lies forward, will have to he win as anticipated, Inoue will proceed to do it his means. “I wish to way each and every fit the similar, without reference to who my opponent is,” he stated. “It’s important to stay a groovy head.” – AFP