By: Sean Crose
Former undisputed bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue will try to realize even larger glory this winter in Japan. For the 25-0 fighter is now set to tackle IBF and WBA tremendous bantamweight titlist Marlon Tapales this December 26th in Tokyo. Seeing as how Inoue at the moment holds the WBC and WBO tremendous bantamweight titles, a victory over Tapales will imply he turns into the undisputed tremendous bantamweight champion of the world. What that means is Inoue will then have a resume that features two undisputed divisional championships in two separate weight divisions. This kind of factor might be complicated even for die arduous struggle followers, so let’s make it easy: The Inoue-Tapales struggle is sort of a giant deal.
“The sensational Naoya Inoue,” says promoter and Top Rank honcho Bob Arum, “astounds with every performance. We are witnessing an all-time great fighter in the prime of his career. He has a very difficult task at hand on December 26 against a tough, powerful Filipino champion in Marlon Tapales, but I am confident ‘The Monster’ will pass this test with flying colors.” Inoue, not surprisingly, is raring for his showdown with Tapaels. “I want to knock him out,” says the 30 12 months previous multi divisional champion.
Inoue, who is thought for his explosive energy, particularly to the physique, signifies he needs to bulldoze via the spectacular Tapales. “I want to show my overwhelming power and win,” he says, “even in a fight like this where becoming undisputed champion in a second division is on the line.” The 31 12 months previous Tapales, after all, has different concepts. Inoue is conscious of this, in addition to his opponent’s ability within the ring. “I hadn’t really seen much of Tapales’s fights,” he mentioned, “but my impression was that he was a tough fighter.” Studying Tapales gave Inoue a good stronger impression of his fellow titlist.
“When I looked at his fights,” says Inoue, “my impression of him completely changed — he defends very well and he has a lot more technique than I first gave him credit for.” With all that being mentioned, Inoue is comfortable not just for the possibility to face Tapales, however to proceed pursuing his profession goals within the publish Covid world. “It took me over four years to win all the bantamweight belts,” he claims, “but it looks like I can win all the super bantamweight titles within 2023.” An spectacular feat – supplied he can pull it off.
I’m actually glad that I’ve been capable of shortly make up for the time I misplaced to the coronavirus pandemic,” Inoue says.
