Naoya “Monster” Inoue will bring his undisputed junior-featherweight crown home on September 14, when the 30-0 (27 KOs) Yokohama superstar faces Uzbekistan’s relentless southpaw Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 13-1 (10 KOs), at the brand-new IG Arena in Nagoya. Ohashi Promotions confirmed the date and site at press conference, locking in the year’s most anticipated 122-pound clash.
Inoue returns to Japan just four months after his dramatic Las Vegas firefight with Ramon Cardenas. Knocked down early, the four-division king roared back to drop Cardenas in the seventh and close the show in the eighth, chalking up a fifth defense of his unified throne and reminding the world why he tops pound-for-pound lists. Earlier this year he flattened South Korea’s Ye Joon Kim in four, proving the “Monster” plans to be boxing’s busiest champion.
Akhmadaliev has chased this opportunity since blasting out Kevin Gonzalez in 2023 to earn mandatory status. Twice sidestepped while Inoue handled other business, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist refused to cool off - bagging an interim belt over Ricardo Espinoza and a stay-busy stoppage of Luis Castillo in May. Now, the patient predator finally gets the full title shot he has demanded.
The Nagoya card is a home-grown blockbuster. Co-main sees Yoshiki Takei, 11-0 (9 KOs), defend his WBO bantamweight strap against knockout-minded mandatory Christian Medina, fresh off a sizzling KO on the same Guadalajara show as Akhmadaliev. Earlier, strawweight contenders Yuni Takada and unbeaten Ryusei Matsumoto collide for the WBA “regular” belt, ensuring a triple-title feast for Lemino’s domestic stream - U.S. broadcast details remain pending.
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Image Credit: The Ring