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Naoya Inoue is one of the best boxers on the planet right now. 'The Monster' is already a three-weight world champion at the mere age of 29 and is the current WBA and IBF Bantamweight (118lbs) Champion. The Japanese superstar will look to unify when he takes on Filipino veteran and WBC Champion Nonito Donaire on June 7th in a much-anticipated rematch.
Ranked in the pound-for-pound top five by several publications, 'The Monster' has the opportunity to take the boxing world by storm and cement a powerful legacy for himself.
Arguably already the greatest Japanese fighter of all time — which is high praise considering that he comes from a country that bred the likes of 'Fighting' Harada, Koichi Wajima, and Shinsuke Yamanaka — it'll be thrilling for fans to witness just how far and bright Naoya Inoue's star can shine.
With an undefeated record of 22-0, 19 of those wins coming by knockout, no fighter has been able to derail Inoue's emphatic rise through the sport. Aside from wielding incredible knockout power and polished fundamentals, just what makes Naoya Inoue such a great fighter?
Naoya Inoue is a brutal body puncher
Very few fighters today attack the body like 'The Monster'.
The 29-year-old has displayed a consistent and ruthless willingness to focus on his opponent's body.
In his first fight at bantamweight back in 2018, Naoya Inoue stepped into the ring with WBA (Regular) Champion Jamie McDonnell. The Brit held a significant reach and height advantage over the Japanese star, but this made little difference as the fight did not even last a round.
As McDonnell tried to establish his jab and maintain distance, Inoue stalked forward before throwing a hard jab to the midsection. His first true power punch in the fight came in the form of a left hook to the body. This punch pushed the British champion against the ropes and allowed 'The Monster' to unleash his first combination in the fight. On the ropes, McDonnell was forced to eat another left hook to the body.
Around the 1:40 mark, 'The Monster' landed a left hook to the top of the champion's head, wobbling him. Not long after that, Naoya Inoue knocked his opponent down with a left hook to the body. McDonnell beat the count, however, 'The Monster' immediately came forward with a viscious combination where he attacked the body and head and forced the referee to stop the fight.
In 2017, before his bout with McDonnell, Inoue defended his WBO Super Flyweight Championship one last time against France's Yoan Boyeaux.
From the opening bell, Inoue's speed advantage was evident as he blasted Boyeaux with swift combinations. In the first round, a flush left hook on the chin knocked the French fighter to the canvas. Beating the count and surviving the round, Boyeaux was forced to endure further combinations from his elite opponent. Inoue, despite tagging his foe up top nearly at will, began targeting his foe's midsection more.
In the third round, 'The Monster' scored a second knockdown with a powerful left hook to the body. Miraculously, Boyeaux beat the count, but was quickly knocked down again after eating another left hook to the body. Showing incredible heart, the French fighter rose to his feet for a third time. However, Naoya Inoue's onslaught proved to be too much as he knocked down Boyeaux for a fourth time, once again with devastating body blows.
Stepping into the ring with 'The Monster' is a mighty task. Not only does he possess fast hands and dynamite power, he also has the ability to mix up his offense. Even when he has tremendous success up top, he will not fall into the trap of headhunting. 'The Monster', unfortunately for his opponents, will always make time for attacking the body.
What kind of opponent can defeat 'The Monster' Naoya Inoue?
To say that Naoya Inoue is an offensive-minded fighter would be a gross understatement. The 29-year-old is always stalking forward, always pressuring his foes, rarely allowing them even the slightest reprieve. How does a fighter stop such a terrible force, especially one with quick hands and destructive knockout power?
To figure out what type of opponent can potentially defeat 'The Monster', there are some strengths to Inoue's game that must be further examined.
Naoya Inoue rarely takes a backwards step. On the one hand, this has made him a brutal nightmare for his opponents. On the other, this means Inoue has not truly been in a position where he's had to box on the backfoot.
Gennadiy Golovkin is one of the most famous punchers of this generation. The middleweight destroyer is a fighter who is always pressing forward and is constantly seeking the knockout. However, in his thrilling rematch with Canelo Alvarez back in 2018, there were moments where Golovkin was forced on the backfoot due to Alvarez's handspeed and propensity for throwing combinations. It was in these moments that Golovkin lost his momentum and was forced to regroup.
A power puncher who can match Inoue's size and endure being in a firefight — admittedly this is a very tall order — could possibly claim victory by pressuring 'The Monster' and forcing him to box backwards, something he is not accustomed to.
In the highly acclaimed 2019 bout with Nonito Donaire, the Filipino veteran found the most success when he forced the Japanese star on the backfoot.
Despite dropping a unanimous decision, Donaire, who is a big bantamweight and powerful puncher, was able to withstand Inoue's greatest punches and take the fight to 'The Monster'. Even a devastating knockdown from a body shot in the eleventh round wasn't enough to stop the veteran. Whether 'The Filipino Flash' can match his success from 2019 and secure an underdog victory at the age of 39 remains to be seen.
Another potential flaw in Inoue's game could be his footwork, specifically his linear line of attack. When 'The Monster' marches forward and walks his opponent down, he tends to move in a straight line. Although explosive, he doesn't attack from a wide range of angles like a Manny Pacquiao or Vasyl Lomachenko. This could cause problems for the 29-year-old should he encounter a slick counterpuncher.
Guillermo Rigondeaux, in his prime, was once one of the most avoided nightmares at super bantamweight (122lbs). Although the Cuban Olympian currently fights at bantamweight, he is 41 years old and no longer the fighter he once was.
A methodical fighter with sniper-like accuracy and quick feet who can disrupt Inoue's aggression and rhythm with swift one-twos could be a serious challenge for 'The Monster'. However, there aren't many fighters around Inoue's weight who fit this mold.
Should Naoya Inoue clear out the bantamweight division, it may take a bigger man to present a new and proper challenge. The weightclass above is currently ruled by two fighters: WBA and IBF Super Bantamweight Champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev and WBO and WBC Champion Stephen Fulton.
Both men are terrific fighters. Akhmadaliev is an Olympic bronze medalist and has already won world titles with just 10 fights on his professional record. Stephen Fulton, while not possessing brutal punching power, has been on a tear, with his last four opponents being undefeated.
It will take a great boxer to emerge victorious against Naoya Inoue. As it stands, 'The Monster' has destroyed every challenge put forth before him. Boxing fans across the world are excited to see whether he can continue his destructive success when he steps into the ring on June 7th.
