Naoya InoueESPN’s No. 3 boxer, will help vault himself into title contention for 2025 with his third defense of the undisputed 122-pound championship early Friday in Tokyo (ESPN+, 4:15 a.m. ET).
This time the opponent is Yi Joon Kim, a largely unknown boxer from South Korea who has never contested a title. However, Kim (21-2-2, 13 KO) was on his toes after Inoue’s Christmas Eve defense against Australian Sam Goodman. It was postponed due to a cut over the competitor’s left eye He struggled in sparring.
Goodman suffered a recurrence of the injury earlier this month, which will keep him out of action for approximately six months due to plastic surgery. Kim stepped in on two weeks notice.
Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) is a staggering -5,000 favorite, according to ESPN BET, and the fight will likely result in another KO for “The Monster.” There’s a reason why dedicated boxing fans wake up in the early morning hours to watch Inoue fight, even when opponents pose little threat: He’s a generational talent that’s must-see TV.
Although Inoue has not competed in the United States since 2021, that is expected to change in 2025. Inoue told ESPN earlier this month that he plans to return to the United States for a fight in Las Vegas.
“I think I’d like to fight at MGM [Grand Garden Arena]Inoue, 31, said through an interpreter.
According to Eno, there is one opponent being discussed in that return to the United States: Alain Picasso Romero. Mexico City’s Picasso (31-0-1, 16 KO) is ranked 14th in ESPN’s World’s Best Player rankings. Top 25 boxers under 25 years old In November. The 24-year-old had his best win in August when he scored a lopsided decision over former title challenger Azat Hovhannisyan.
With Picasso’s growing following in Mexico and his penchant for throwing big, it makes a lot of sense for Inoue’s major comeback. Picasso is classified No. 9 at 122 pounds by ESPN.
Inoue has said he would like to fight four times in 2025, and while that would be impressive activity for any boxer of his level, he is already one of the sport’s busiest champions.
Inoue last competed four times in a calendar year: 2013. In 2020, he competed just once when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the sport. His last non-title fight was also in 2013 where Inoue dominated four weight classes (junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, junior bantamweight, and junior featherweight).
However, he remains somewhat of a mystery to many American boxing fans because he constantly fights in Japan at odd hours in the United States. What makes Inoue special? Let’s take a look:
Is there a fight that could help Inoue become a star in the United States?
There’s only one at the moment, and it’s unlikely to happen. That would be a fight against Gervonta Davisa match that has been discussed ad nauseam on social media but remains elusive due to the weight gap.
“Tank” Davis is a 135-pound champion and a 140-pound champion. However, he weighed only 133.5 pounds His victory was in June by KO Above Frank Martin recently said on social media that he is 5-foot-4½. Maybe this battle isn’t as far-fetched as it seems.
Inoue said he will move up to 126 pounds at some point — likely in 2026 — and will then be just two weight classes behind Davis. At 5-foot-5, Inoue is about the same height, and has the same reach at 67½ inches. Davis previously campaigned at 130 pounds where he was champion.
This is the weight at which this fight might actually be possible. Stranger things have certainly happened in boxing. Filipino Manny Pacquiao, another Asian star who found huge popularity in the United States, started his career at 108 pounds, like Inoue, and eventually fought Oscar De La Hoya at 147 pounds.
Pacquiao was very much an underdog, but he eviscerated De La Hoya in the fight that truly catapulted him to stardom.
Later this year, Terence Crawford (After just one fight at 154 pounds) he is preparing to climb two more weight classes to face off Canelo Alvarez At a price of 168 pounds.
The Davis-Inouye fight, if it happens, would be a huge fight that would certainly generate bonus days for both fighters.
What other notable fights lie ahead for Inoue?
The fight with compatriot Junto Nakatani, ESPN’s No. 10 boxer, could be the biggest fight in Japan’s boxing-mad history.
Nakatani, a three-division world champion, has impressed mightily in recent years and continues to dominate the 118-pound division. He is a powerful puncher, throwing punches from all angles and possessing tremendous size at 5-foot-8.
He may also be the only fighter at the same weight as Inoue that some might choose to end Inoue’s illustrious career. At 27 years old, Nakatani continues to improve under famed coach Rudy Hernandez in Los Angeles.
Whenever they meet, the match should easily sell out the Tokyo Dome. Just last year, Inoue packed more than 50,000 fans into the famous stadium for Luis Nery’s knockout. Millions in Japan watch Inoue’s fights and he earns big money guaranteed. That’s why there’s no need for him to fight in the United States
So when will this fight against Nakatani happen? Inoue told ESPN that he first wants to see Nakatani unify the titles at 118 pounds. Currently, the Japanese fighters hold all four bantamweight titles, providing a roadmap for Nakatani, the WBC champion, to build his popularity.
“He’s definitely improved his boxing, but I still want to see something very impressive from him,” Inoue said of Nakatani.
Another fighter who could face Inoue one day: Jessie “Pam” Rodriguez. The Mexican-American has torn through the opposition on his way to No. 7 in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings.
“Bam” is currently champion at 115 pounds, but perhaps the timing is right for him to move up to 122 pounds before Inoue makes the jump to 126.
What makes Inoue’s show worth watching?
Inoue’s fights are routinely action-packed, even when there’s one-way traffic in the ring. He finished 17 of his 18 competitors. The only person to continue to go the distance during that period: future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire.
Donaire broke Inoue’s nose and orbit in the match named after him ESPN’s 2019 Battle of the Year. Inoue won this fight by decision and left no doubt in the 2022 rematch with a second-round TKO.
Friday’s fight will mark Inoue’s impressive defense of his 24th straight title. No matter who he’s fighting, Inoue entertains. His skills are otherworldly as he uses perfect balance, outstanding footwork, and top-notch punch placement to break down and then eliminate opponents.
Perhaps his most impressive win came in 2023 when Controlled by American Stephen Fulton In his first fight at 122 lbs. Many observers thought Fulton would present Inoue’s toughest test, but Inoue dispensed with him in eight one-sided rounds.
The finishing sequence was a thing of beauty. Inoue hit Fulton to the body and followed up with a right cross to his head that sent him reeling. A left hook sent Fulton to the canvas on unsteady legs. When he regained his feet, a hail of bullets left him in a heap in the corner.
