Promoter Bob Arum claims Naoya Inoue is the “best fighter” he’s ever seen in his 60 years in the sport in any weight.
Questions Arise Over Quality of Opposition
Arum is really high on the undisputed super bantamweight champion Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) and doesn’t seem to be factoring in his lack of cutting-edge opposition that he’s faced during his twelve-year professional career.
I don’t see Inoue as the best, but I’m not promoting him. He’s a basic fighter with some pop in his punches who has feasted on low-quality opposition at 115, 118, and 122.
With Inoue fighting weak opposition in the lower-weight classes, you can’t tell if he’s any good. The only thing we can say is that 40-year-old Nonito Donaire badly hurt Inoue and cracked his face from their first fight. What would a younger version of Donaire do to Inoue?
You don’t hear Arum saying Donaire is the best fighter he’s ever seen, yet he had him in all kinds of trouble at age 40.
Calls for Inoue to Move Up in Weight
If Inoue would just move up to 126, 130 or 135 already, we could see if he’s any good, but right now, his resume is 100% inflated with weak opposition. Some believe Inoue is afraid to move up to fight the killers at featherweight and lightweight, who could finish what Luis Nery started.
When you’re talking about a fighter whose best opponent on his resume is 40-year-old Nonito Donaire, it’s a red flag that this guy isn’t as good as he’s built up to be. Other than Donaire, who had Inoue badly hurt, the other best names on the Japanese star’s resume are these guys:
– Luis Nery
– Marlon Tapales
– Stephen Fulton
– Emmanuel Rodriguez
– Jamie McDonnell
– Juan Carlos Payano
That ain’t murderer’s row competition that Inoue has fought.
Arum is obviously promoting the 31-year-old Inoue, but you’d like to think that he could tell it like it is by saying he’s still untested and was lucky he didn’t get knocked out by Luis Nery last week in his title defense against the recently knocked out Mexican fighter at the Tokyo Dome.
“Inoue is not only pound for pound the best fighter in the world, Inoue is the best fighter I’ve ever seen. Ever seen, no matter what weight category or anything. I have never ever in the almost 60 years I’ve been in Boxing, seen anything like Inoue,” said promoter Bob Arum to Jai McAllister, gushing about Naouya Inoue.
Potential Featherweight Challenges
If Inoue would move up to featherweight, he could be tested against these fighters:
– Rey Vargas
– Luis Alberto Lopez
– Rafael Espinoza
– Robeisy Ramirez
– Raymond Ford
– Nick Ball
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