Earlier today in Tokyo, Japan, unified 122 pound king Naoya Inoue scored yet another impressive highlight reel KO. Facing late sub Ye Joon Kim, “The Monster” took his time as he always does, having a good look at his opponent. But after three rounds in which he was pretty much getting warmed up, Inoue exploded in round four.
Hurting his man, with a game Kim even waving Inoue in, the super bantamweight ruler landed with a classic one-two, his left jab and the right hand to the head that followed it sending the challenger crumpling into the ropes and down.
That finish in slow motion.@NaoyaInoue_410 really is one of one 👹 pic.twitter.com/sq2YpghubA
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) January 24, 2025
It was all over with :46 seconds left on the clock in the fourth. Inoue is now 29-0(26), while Kim, who was stopped for the first time in his career today, is now 21–2-2(13).
Kim gave it a go today, the 32 year old coming out southpaw and trying to look for openings. But Inoue, a year the older man and arguably at his peak right about now, was in cruise control. Inoue, who had to listen to South Korea’s Kim say he was going to “crush” him, finally opened up and when he did that was all she wrote.
A certain Murodjon Akhmadaliev aside, Inoue has cleaned out the 122 pound division, and he needs to go up to featherweight if he is to be tested. That said, a Japanese super fight with current bantamweight operator Junto Nakatani will likely see to it that Inoue sticks around at 122 for a while longer.
There is a possibility Inoue will fight three more times this year, and after today’s fight, one that can only be described as easy work, “The Monster ” could get back to devouring his prey in as little as a week or two from now.
We are enjoying a truly special fighter with Naoya Inoue. Can anyone defeat him?
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