Naoya Inoue isn’t focused on shifting as much as 126 after his seventh-round knockout of TJ Doheny on Tuesday night time on the Ariake Area in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) made his second protection of his undisputed tremendous bantamweight title towards 37-year-old Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs), whose again gave out on him in the course of the seventh spherical. It wasn’t what Inoue did that ended the combat.
Is Inoue Avoiding More durable Fights?
Doheny’s again couldn’t deal with all of the leaning that he was doing to keep away from Inoue’s punches and finally froze on him. After the combat, it was realized that Inoue, 31, will likely be staying at 122 and plans to defend towards his IBF obligatory Sam Goodman on December twenty fourth in Tokyo.’
Once you see Inoue combating guys like Doheny and Luis Nery and concentrating on the sunshine hitter Goodman, it’s arduous to not conclude that he’s avoiding the harder fights. If Inoue have been focused on combating harder guys, he’d have already moved as much as 126 earlier this yr, and he wouldn’t be planning to combat Goodman.
“You name him ‘The Monster,’ and also you anoint him as this mythological particular person, and then you definately anticipate him to go up in weight and combat all people on a regular basis,” mentioned commentator Chris Algieri to the Inside Boxing Reside YouTube channel, speaking about Naoya Inoue trying human in his combat towards TJ Doheny on Tuesday night time.
Inoue solely moved up in weight 4 instances, and he’s now the place he ought to have been from the beginning of his profession. He’s all the time large for the 112, 115, and 118-lb divisions. He’s now combating guys his measurement at 122, however the division is so completely barren of expertise that Inoue wants to maneuver as much as 126.
The Concern Issue
All of the gifted fighters are in that weight class as a result of there’s no level in combating at 122. In spite of everything, the one man there price combating is Inoue. He received’t combat them as a result of he’s too busy being selective.
“It’s all the time, ‘What’s subsequent? Transfer as much as 126.’ Guys, he’s human. He’s combating at 122. He’s under-sized; he’s a smaller man. It’s his fourth, and he’s nonetheless stopping all these guys. For the size of his profession, shifting up and combating greater guys with extra expertise, however he’s nonetheless stopping them,” mentioned Algieri.
Followers need to see Inoue transfer as much as 126 as a result of that’s the place all of the gifted fighters are. If the 122-lb division have been as properly stocked with high quality fighters because the 126-lb division is, followers wouldn’t be badgering Inoue to maneuver up. 122 is crammed with older fighters, and followers need Inoue to maneuver as much as 126, the place he’d have an infinite provide of nice fights.
“Granted, he’s not mowing guys down with one-punch KOs like he was doing at 118 and 115, however he’s human,” Algieri continued about Inoue. “He’s going to say no. He’s 31 years outdated. He says he needs to do two extra years at this weight class [122].”
What’s Algieri speaking about? Inoue is already displaying a decline within the energy and hand velocity division. We noticed that in his fights towards Doheny, Marlon Tapales, and Luis Nery. Like many fighters who decelerate once they attain their 30s, Inoue is starting to indicate indicators of slowing down, and that’s age. Inoue’s followers won’t like listening to it, however they need to face the reality.
‘Monster’ Inoue is getting outdated and able to be overwhelmed. Therefore, he’s but to indicate curiosity in combating Murodjon Akhmadaliev or shifting as much as combat the younger lion Bruce Carrington, who’s ready to devour him at 126.
That’s why Inoue is selecting to remain rooted to the spot at 122, selecting the sunshine hitter Sam Goodman for his subsequent combat on December twenty fourth. Inoue is not prepared to take dangers. Concern has set in and has obtained Inoue by its clutches. He can’t break away and isn’t even making an attempt. It could take {an electrical} prod to maneuver Naoya out of his hunker to face skills like Murodjon and Carrington.
Questioning His Personal Talents
“I all the time say, ’33 is that magic quantity.’ 33 is when guys actually begin to dip. Inoue has obtained a few years left. I noticed an interview on ESPN about what he’s going to do subsequent, and he was questioning his personal potential to maneuver up [to 126]. I’d by no means heard him do this in an interview,” mentioned Algieri.
Inoue’s supposed remark questioning his potential to maneuver up would possibly clarify his reluctance to maneuver as much as 126 after he achieved his aim of changing into the undisputed tremendous bantamweight champion final December along with his victory over Marlon Tapales. Followers had anticipated Inoue to maneuver as much as featherweight after that win, however he didn’t. As a substitute, he’s stayed at 122, combating Luis Nery and Doheny.
Giving Followers What They Need?
“So, I feel that’s actually indicative, and I feel it reveals at 122. You see these guys. They’re simply greater folks than him. These followers which can be knocking him for being human. It’s loopy. You’ve obtained to take a look at his profession in totality and perceive that he’s giving followers what they need by combating stiffer challenges in greater weight courses,” mentioned Algieri about Inoue.
Followers would disagree with Algieri’s remark about Inoue giving them the fights they need in greater weight courses as a result of they didn’t need him to combat the washed Luis Nery or TJ Doheny. These have been Inoue’s infants. He needed these fights, not the followers.
Followers needed Inoue to combat these fighters:
- Murodjon Akhmadaliev
- Bruce Carrington
- Rafael Espinoza
- Jesse ‘Bam’ Ridriguez
- Gervonta Davis
- Nick Ball
