If it looks like a duck: Murodjon Akhmadaliev avoided by Naoya Inoue?

INDIO, California – Confounded, perplexed, concerned.

Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev is all of the above as he is left to consider the events that will likely leave him deprived of landing his World Boxing Association mandatory title shot at Japan’s four-division and currently undisputed junior featherweight king Naoya Inoue.

“You just received the Fighter of the Year award. You’re considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. And you’re avoiding this challenge? That’s ridiculous,” Akhmadaliev told BoxingScene in a reaction directed toward Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs).

Inoue, 31, is instead moving toward an early September title defense against veteran TJ Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs), and his American promoter Bob Arum said two-time undisputed champion Inoue will then likely move on to the featherweight division and try to clean out that weight class, too.

Akhmadaliev, 29, doesn’t get it.

The former unified junior featherweight champion won his belts in a 2020 split decision triumph over Danny Roman, who nine months earlier defeated Doheny by majority decision.

While Northern Ireland’s Doheny has built his profile in Japan with three consecutive victories there, he is 37.

And Akhmadaliev said it’s imperative for a champion to honor his mandatories, something he did three times as a champion.

“I respect all fighters, but this fight is four or five years too late [past Doheny’s prime],” Akhmadaliev said. “It doesn’t make sense that someone of [Inoue’s level] would fight an old man who lost his title five years ago – when I beat the man who beat [Doheny] in my seventh professional fight. If that’s how [Inoue’s] proving his greatness, that’s just how it is.”

Arum poured salt in the wound by telling BoxingScene previously that “no one knows who [Akhmadaliev] is.”

That rankled the trainer of Uzbekistan’s Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs), Joel Diaz.

“Look, everything was going well until Bob Arum said that fight made no sense because M.J. doesn’t have a name,” Diaz said Monday inside the gym where he trains Akhmadaliev.

“Look at who [Arum’s fighter] Teofimo Lopez just fought … a guy I’ve never heard of in my life [Steve Claggett]. I know why they’re doing it. Because they know the only fighter who they fear and who can beat Inoue right now is M.J.

“They won’t fight M.J. now. They want to keep their title and fight this easy fight [against Doheny] that’s out there for them. But M.J. beat Roman, and Roman beat [Doheny]. M.J. hurts his opponents. He has heavy hands, is very skillful. They know Inoue would be in tough against M.J., so they’ve decided to go the other way.”

Arum responded Tuesday.

“By saying I didn’t know him doesn’t mean he’s not a good fighter,” Arum told BoxingScene. “I have nothing against the kid. The point is, this is business, and they know that.

“Instead of going at Inoue for a purse bid and trying to extract money from him, they should have come and talk to [Inoue’s Japanese promoter Akihiko] Honda and asked for the fight.”

Akhmadaliev manager Vadim Kornilov said Inoue is going above and beyond avoiding Akhmadaliev by asking the WBA for “a special permit to avoid Akhmadaliev.

“I didn’t know that Akhmadaliev is such an avoided boxer. He is good, but that’s what being the best is about: fighting the best available opposition,” Kornilov said. “It seemed that [previous champion and Inoue victim Stephen] Fulton was avoiding the M.J. fight for undisputed.

“Now, Inoue wants to fight TJ Doheny instead. We are not in this fight for the money. We can try to do the fight in the U.K., or in Saudi [Arabia] if they feel this fight is not good enough for the Japanese fans.”

Akhmadaliev lost his WBA and IBF belts in an April 2023 split decision defeat to Marlon Tapales of the Philippines, despite one scorecard favoring Akhmadaliev, 118-110 (the others were 115-113 for Tapales).

Tapales was then knocked out by Inoue in the 10th round of their Dec. 26 bout in Japan.

Akhmadaliev, meanwhile, could be left to meet the WBA’s second-ranked contender, Texas’ Ramon Cardenas (25-1, 14 KOs), if the WBA acts to strip Inoue for not taking his mandatory defense.

“I’m in touch with my management team. If [Inoue’s] going to quit and vacate the title, I’ll fight who’s next. It’s nothing new for me,” Akhmadaliev said.

“But to say I have no name … I was the fastest ever [eight fights into his pro career] to be a unified champion. All my fights were on a major TV network. It doesn’t make sense. I’m fit. I’m ready. Whoever’s next, I’m ready for it.”

One attractive option considering both men fight for DAZN and Matchroom is return junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who just knocked out veteran former champion Juan Francisco Estrada in the seventh round Saturday night in Phoenix.

“‘Bam’ is a great fighter. I know him personally. But he’s still at 115, so it doesn’t make sense to talk about it now. Maybe in the future,” Akhmadaliev said. “He’s a great fighter and has all the tools. For me, I can make 118, so we could fight there, too.

“I’m not a big guy. I’m comfortable at 122. But I can go up to 126 [and continue the pursuit of Inoue].

“If we’re talking about what’s the priority? The priority is winning all the titles and taking the biggest challenges. Inoue is the biggest challenge. At this point, Inoue is the fight I prefer. Who knows what the future holds? I’m open to fight anyone. I’m here to fight whoever the best guys are at the same weight.”