When Naoya Inoue defends his undisputed junior featherweight titles on May 6, it will be the future Hall of Fame boxer’s sixth consecutive fight based in Japan. Staying at home has proven beneficial, as the 31-year-old has reached an impressive record and become the undisputed bantamweight king, convincingly beating Philadelphia’s Stephen Fulton and rising to global pound-for-pound prominence. Yet, there's an uncomfortable truth—Inoue’s brilliance might truly shine on U.S. soil to break the bank.
“It was nice watching Inoue on the track a couple of weeks ago,” said former welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter on the latest episode of Pro Box TV’s “Deep Waters.” “Let’s get him out of his backyard, make him a bit uncomfortable and see how he handles the energy when he’s not at home.”
Inoue is set to meet former junior featherweight champion Luis Nery from Mexico on May 6 in Japan—a contest that will begin in the early Monday morning U.S. time. Devoted fans have admired “The Monster’s” undeniable talent, wicked power, and ferocity at the top of the card. “There’s a lot of respect for Inoue and what he’s doing,” Porter added. “But if you’re asking me about the next big thing in boxing? You’ve got to come to the U.S., cross those seas, and knock down some Americans to make others take notice.”
With Inoue being a -1250 betting favorite and a massive crowd expected at the Tokyo Dome for his bout with 7-1 underdog Nery—whose only loss came against Brandon Figueroa—Nery has downplayed Inoue’s presumed dominance, labeling him “overrated,” “ordinary,” and “overconfident.” “I’m going over there looking for the knockout,” Nery declared. “I’m not going to Japan looking for a decision. His strength is his quickness and intellect, but he opens up a lot. That’s where I come in.”
Inoue has shown few vulnerabilities while dominating Fulton and Marlon Tapales in his most recent unification bouts. Should he defeat Nery, the question will be whether Inoue dares to rise to the next weight class, featherweight. And of course, a larger question looms—will he ever relinquish his home-country advantage? What you think?
Image Credit: Sky Sports