boxing

The Monster: Japanese star Inoue targeting boxing's big time

15 Comments
By Yuri Kageyama

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

15 Comments
Login to comment

Looking forward to this, hope everything would be according to expectations

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So, you are suggesting that after becoming a champion at bantamweight (55 kg), he should bulk up to 90 kg and fight at heavyweight with Fury in order to get your respect? Yes, that makes complete sense.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

He is an excellent boxer and nothing about him diminishes his stature among great fighters. He is far beyond the likes of Fury. If he remains undefeated he will enter the pantheon of great undefeated fighters, such as Mayweather.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Never going to get the same respect from the public abroad as Errol Spence, fury, usyk, triple g, Terrence Crawford, canelo, beterbiev, Hugo Chavez, Tyson, haggler, foreman, bjs, aj, etc etc until, until he moves up a few weight divisions. Then it can happen

Don't mention Manny Pacquiao. Greater boxer then everyone you just mentioned in your comment, and also Asian boxer who never got the proper recognition after winning belts at more weight classes then anyone else, including your picks.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

He is an excellent boxer and nothing about him diminishes his stature among great fighters. He is far beyond the likes of Fury. If he remains undefeated he will enter the pantheon of great undefeated fighters, such as Mayweather.

Inoue is tall for his division and could naturally go up in weight for one or two weight classes.

Inoue has potential, but his record is filled with a lot of nobodies. Think about this warm-up fight with this unheard of Thai boxer( 12-2, 11KOs, Who did he KO?). Inoue beat Donaire who has been on the decline since he was schooled and embarrassed by a much smaller and probably older Rigondeaux. Inoue is more credible than the Kameda brothers who fought mostly over the hill and unheard of Asian boxers in Japanese judged boxing events in Japan.

How many recognized and respected champions has Inoue fought and beat? Julio Caesar Chavez gets a lot of respect for fighting 90+ fights. He was 87-0 and one point. He has one of the most padded records in history. How many of those fighters had losing records with chance of ever becoming champions and were part-time janitors, taxi drivers and etc? Chavez was (18, 4, 2) against current and former World Champions when he was active. That is a good but not a great record. In contrast, Mayweather currently leads all boxers (23-0) against current and former world champions with a total record of 50-0. Almost have his fights were champions. Not only any old champion with far flung belts all over the world, but he made it look easy against Hall of Fame World Champions including Pacquiao and potentially Canelo.

Language is one barrier to Inoue's international success and recognition, but his resume of opponents is the main reason for his lack of international success. He might have to step up in weight if the competition is light or untalented, but stay away from the nobodies. It is only helps his ego and maybe meager financial rewards in the poor Japanese boxing scene.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

In contrast, Mayweather currently leads all boxers (23-0) against current and former world champions with a total record of 50-0. Almost have his fights were champions. Not only any old champion with far flung belts all over the world, but he made it look easy against Hall of Fame World Champions including Pacquiao and potentially Canelo.

He avoided Pacquiao though when they were both at their peak (Pacman would've accepted any reasonably good paycheck, but nothing was good enough for The Money). By the time he accepted, it was 5 years too late and both were in significant decline

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The "professional" in Professional boxing means it is all about money. Japanese boxers can pick their way to a title fight by virtue of the money available for a bout in Japan compared with the Philippines, Thailand or other developing country. That said Inoue really can fight and has good skills. No need to go the Manny Steroid route and bulk up unless making weight is a problem. He will be a big enough star in Japan if he can keep winning.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Lostrune2

He avoided Pacquiao though when they were both at their peak (Pacman would've accepted any reasonably good paycheck, but nothing was good enough for The Money). By the time he accepted, it was 5 years too late and both were in significant decline

That was not the real reason they did not fight. People suggested Manny was on the "juice". The fight never happened because Manny was against Olympic style drug testing the entire time which Mayweather was a proponent of . It is almost impossible to beat the Olympic drug testing protocol. It takes a long time for steroids to leave the body. Today's test can identify miniscule amounts even years after usage. If is true about Manny then he needed time to clear his system. He moved in weight classes fast without losing power. It does not add up. Mayweather is older than Manny, so if Manny was in decline then so was Mayweather. When they fought Mayweather schooled Manny.

Not to mention Manny beat the same people that Mayweather beat first, so if Mayweather chose low quality opponents then the same would be true for Manny.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Please bulk up and go fight Jake Paul and shut him up for good.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Please bulk up and go fight Jake Paul and shut him up for good.

He could do that very easily without putting on a single pound!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If he wants world recognition, he needs to fight guys with real resumes. You see it all the time with Japanese athletes - overhyped at home, leave the country and get knocked back to reality. Ohtani, Ichiro, Sakuraba and a few others were the real deal but most of the others were just average at best and some were downright terrible.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That was not the real reason they did not fight. People suggested Manny was on the "juice". The fight never happened because Manny was against Olympic style drug testing the entire time which Mayweather was a proponent of . It is almost impossible to beat the Olympic drug testing protocol. It takes a long time for steroids to leave the body. Today's test can identify miniscule amounts even years after usage. If is true about Manny then he needed time to clear his system. He moved in weight classes fast without losing power. It does not add up. Mayweather is older than Manny, so if Manny was in decline then so was Mayweather. When they fought Mayweather schooled Manny.

No pro boxer had to undergo such blood tests before, not Sugar Ray, not Whitaker . People only ever talked about it before the fight, and then nothing. Go figure. Pacman was already willing to give up a lot of money to Mayweather; he's already giving up home-field advantage by fighting at Mayweather's backyard; he was even ok with multiple random urine tests that's above and beyond what Nevada requires. But he wasn't going to give up more unless Mayweather had to give up something as well; of course that won't happen

At their peak, it was to be strength against strength - Pacman an offensive juggernaut vs. Mayweather a defensive machine. But by the time they fought, both were in decline. Offense ages worse than defense since it takes a lot more to sustain, while defense serves the heavier man which is Mayweather

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

No pro boxer had to undergo such blood tests before, not Sugar Ray, not Whitaker . People only ever talked about it before the fight, and then nothing. Go figure. Pacman was already willing to give up a lot of money to Mayweather; he's already giving up home-field advantage by fighting at Mayweather's backyard; he was even ok with multiple random urine tests that's above and beyond what Nevada requires. But he wasn't going to give up more unless Mayweather had to give up something as well; of course that won't happen

Yeah, because other champions never had to undergo blood tests make no sense.

The detection of newer classes of drugs requires blood samples

https://www.wbaboxing.com/box-medical-articles/the-detection-of-newer-classes-of-drugs-requires-blood-samples#.Ya4kIvFBy3I

Mayweather who was his own promoter was pushing Olympic style blood testing before anyone else. Bob Arum and Del a Hoya was not letting their boxers get random blood testing.

Golden Boy Promotions, who backed Mayweather in his claims against Pacquiao about the issue, have dropped VADA testing themselves after a few of their cards were cancelled because of fighters like Andre Berto and Lamont Peterson failing their drug tests.

I wonder why!!!

At their peak, it was to be strength against strength - Pacman an offensive juggernaut vs. Mayweather a defensive machine. But by the time they fought, both were in decline. Offense ages worse than defense since it takes a lot more to sustain, while defense serves the heavier man which is Mayweather

Once again, none of that logic holds up because after Mayweather schooled Pacquiao, Manny went on to win another title.

So, he no longer had the power to defeat a past his prime Mayweather who is older than Pacquiao, but Manny had power to defeat other younger fighters in their prime to win another title after his lost to Mayweather.

See, how illogical that is?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites