[Criteria: Fighter theoretically enters weight category of choice]
BANTAMWEIGHTS 118 lbs: p1 Naouya Inoue p2 Masahiko Harada p3 Panama Al Brown p4 Carlos Zarate Serna p5 Manuel Ortiz p5 Kid Williams p5 Pete Kid Herman p6 Johnny Coulon p6 Lionel Rose p7 Orlando Canizales
[9.0] NAOYA INOUE 20-20(17)-0 [Super-Bantamweight & Bantamweight & Super-Flyweight & Light-Flyweight]: The Ring online -
On October 7 in Yokohama, Japan, Naoya Inoue’s chilling two-punch combination decimated respected former titleholder Juan Carlos Payano and the shockwaves reverberated through the boxing world.
The official time was 1:10 of Round 1.
Inoue, who is rated No 1 by The Ring at bantamweight, was already a name in the sport, already a pound-for-pound entrant, already recognized as a devastating knockout artist, but his World Boxing Super Series debut took things to another level.
Idolized in his home country, it was time for The Monster to receive the type of international acclaim he deserves. For that reason, the unbeaten Japanese juggernaut will adorn the front cover of ‘The Bible of Boxing’.
‘I’m honored to be featured on the cover of The Ring magazine,’ said Inoue at an official announcement in Japan on Tuesday. ‘I believe this was the result of my boxing style being accepted worldwide.
‘I have always wanted to be on the next level in Japanese boxing, so I’m happy that I accomplished one of my dreams. I don’t believe that I have become equal to the other big names like (Mike) Tyson, (Manny) Pacquiao or (Floyd) Mayweather (junior) yet, but The Ring magazine cover has taken me a step closer to those legends.’
This will be the first time that a Japanese national has graced the cover but, with the sport’s popularity rapidly increasing in ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’, it is unlikely to be the last. The Ring online article, ‘Naoya Inoue: ‘The Monster’ makes history as Ring magazine cover star’
On Friday evening at the Tokyo Dome Hotel, the Japanese Boxing Commission (JBC) and the Sports Writers Club held their annual awards ceremony.
The showpiece award, the 2018 ‘Japanese Fighter of the Year’, was awarded to bantamweight sensation Naoya Inoue.
Last year, Inoue knocked out both Jamie McDonnell and Juan Carlos Payano in one round. The Payano destruction was particularly eye-catching and garnered Inoue The Ring magazine and JBC ‘Knockout of the Year.’
Those wins helped ‘The Monster’ move to No 1 at 118 pounds in The Ring’s ratings and No 6 on the mythical Pound-for-Pound list. The Ring online article Anson Wainwright, ‘Naoya Inoue Named Japan’s Boxer of the Year’
16) Jamie McDonnell TKO1: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Jamie McDonnell 25 May 2018 WBA Bantamweight Tokyo: [r1] … [Inoue] whacks with either hand … McDonnell may have felt the weight of a couple of those body shots … Heavy left hand … and McDonnell goes over from a left to the body … Inoue looking to tee off with that left hand and right … The referee has jumped in and waved it off inside the first round … Slain by The Monster. UK Sky TV commentary
17) Juan Carlos Payano KO1: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Juan Carlos Payano 7 October 2018 WBA Bantamweight Tokyo: [r1] … Oh! That combination and Payano has been stretched on the canvas and he doesn’t know where he is … A devastating statement of intent … A fearsome left-right combination. UK fight commentary
18) Emmanuel Rodriguez KO2: UK Fight Commentary
v Emannuel Rodriguez 18 May 2019 WBA IBF Bantamweight Glasgow: [r1] … Such a high quality matchup; two undefeated fighters … Trading equally … Good right hand [Inoue] … double up on that left hand … good exchange of jabs … right hand there caught Rodriguez … [r2] … Straight left hand there dumps Rodriguez down! … Left to the body down goes Rodriguez … Down for a third time … And the referee waves it over … He is a monster! UK fight commentary
20) Jason Moloney KO7 *****: US Fight Commentary
v Jason Moloney 31st October 2020 WBA (Super) IBF Ring Bantamweight Las Vegas: [r1] … Inoue can put your lights our in half a second … Inoue has so many tools … Nice right … Another Inoue jab right in the face … Nice body shot from Moloney … [r2] … Inoue comes out shooting that left … Nine body shot … It’s the speed of Inoue and power … [3] … He’s letting Inoue dictate the pace … Nice uppercut … right hand, left hand … Beautiful dubble uppercut … another short right … [r4] … Inoue is real … right hand counter … digs to the body … [r5] … He [Moloney] has soaked up a lot of punishment … Big right hand [Inoue] … [r6] … Inoue is dominating this fight … Down goes Moloney … Big right hand [Inoue] … lands cleanly with that right … [r7] … Nice uppercut from Inoue … Here comes the onslaught … Big right hand … Moloney is down and hurt … It is over … US fight commentary
21) Michael Dismarinas KO3 *****: US Fight Commentary
V Michael Dismarinas 19 June 2021 WBA (Super) IBF Ring Bantamweight Las Vegas: [r1] … There is just destructive … He [Inoue] has perfect balance … There’s that left hook again … left hook … [r2] Nice right hand [Inoue] to the body … lead right hand … left hook to the body … Knockdown scored by the Monster! … Another body shot … [r3] … [Inoue] digs in again … Goes back to it again! Oh, Big Time shot to the body … It’s over …
23) Nonito Donaire II TKO2: US Fight Commentary
v Nonito Donaire 7 June 2022 WBA (Super) WBC IBF Ring Saitama Japan: [r1] … The left hook of Inoue … Good shot … Right hand! … Knockdown! … [r2] … Devastating power … and the left hook now does put down Donaire … and this fight is over! And wow and wow and wow … US fight commentary
25) Stephen Fulton TKO8 *****: US Fight Commentary
V Stephen Fulton 25 July 2023 WBC WBO Super-Bantamweight, Japan: [r1] … Right hand Inoue … quick jab … success with the long jab … [r2] … Inoue: jab followed by a right hand … Another great combination from Inoue … [r3] … Inoue is so quick … Right hand behind it … Jabs all scoring shots … Steps forward with the jab once again … [r4] … Inoue: Quicker, faster and he’s throwing more than him … [Fulton] connects with the right hand … Back to the body goes Inoue … [r5] … Great combination from Inoue … throwing those three-four-five-punch combinations … [r6] … Triple-jab from Inoue to start … Nice right-hand upercut … [r7] … Nice right hand [Fulton] … Combination [Inoue] … [r8] … Oh! Big hand lands and down goes Stephen Fulton … And it is over! … Emphatic fashion … Wow! … US Fight Commentary