Naoya Inoue (24-0-0, 21 KO) moves up in weight after making bantamweight history. The Japanese became the first undisputed bantamweight champion (the first Japanese to unify four crowns) and wants to continue adding challenges. He will face Stephen Fulton (21-0-0, 8 KOs), WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion, tomorrow at the Ariake Arena in Japan. The match was originally scheduled for May 7, but an injury to Inoue forced it to be delayed.
Naoya Inoue prepares to assault the super bantamweight. The Japanese was the first boxer to become the undisputed bantamweight champion, as well as the first Japanese to unify four crowns, defeating Paul Butler (34-3-0, 15 KO) by KO in the eleventh round in December. The monster he retained his WBC, WBA and IBF titles in the division and took the WBO from the British boxer. He dominated the match from start to finish, putting up an orderly defense and hitting good hands and combinations. One of the most outstanding qualities of him is the speed in his fights.
A month after making history, he announced in a press conference that he was vacating his bantamweight belts to assault a new category, the super bantamweight. And no ordinary rival has been sought to play his first match. He will face Stephen Fulton, WBC and WBO champion of the division, tomorrow at the Ariake Aaena in Japan. The fight was scheduled for May 7, but Inoue got injured (nothing too serious) while training and it had to be postponed. Both boxers are undefeated and are two of the most prominent on the current scene, so it will be a spectacle to see them together in the ring.
Stephen Fulton is the owner of the WBC and WBO super bantamweight belts. He is one of the most complete fighters and always leaves a good image in the ring. He was proclaimed WBO champion by defeating by unanimous decision Angelo Leo (21-1-0, 9 KO) in January 202. In November of that same year, he unified the WBC of the category by ending Brandon Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KO) by majority decision. He made a defense of his titles against Daniel Roman (29-4-1, 10 KO) in June 2022, where he prevailed via unanimous decision. A great war is approaching in the Asian country.