Naoya Inoue Wins Easily in His Latest Bout

By William Dumoulin

Photo Credit: Top Rank Boxing

This past Friday marked the return to the ring of one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, Japan's Naoya "The Monster" Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs). It was his eighth consecutive fight in his home country.

Originally slated to face Australian Sam Goodman, Inoue had to change opponents at the last minute due to a lingering cut that forced Goodman to withdraw for a second time. Instead, the undisputed super bantamweight champion took on South Korea’s Ye Joon Kim (21-3-2, 13 KOs), who is currently ranked 11th by the WBO.

A Dominant Victory for Inoue

As expected, "The Monster" started strong, applying constant pressure on Kim while targeting his body to sap his energy. Inoue also landed several precise right-hand shots that consistently found their mark.

In the third round, Kim responded with a few solid combinations, but it wasn’t enough to change the trajectory of the fight. In the fourth round, Inoue dropped Kim with a stunning jab-straight combination. Kim couldn’t beat the count, and Inoue claimed victory via TKO in the fourth round, retaining his undisputed super bantamweight title.

What’s Next for "The Monster"?

The future looks intriguing for Naoya Inoue. He appears reluctant to face his WBA mandatory challenger, interim champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, which may lead to the WBA stripping him of his title.

For his next fight, talks suggest a return to the United States, with a potential clash against Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) in May. If confirmed, it would be Inoue’s first bout on American soil since 2021, when he dispatched Michael Dasmarinas in just three rounds.

Saudi Arabia has also expressed significant interest in hosting a Naoya Inoue fight. However, such an event might take place in September rather than May.