By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
If successful, “Monster” Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs), Japan, will completely unify four belts in just two fights after moving up to the 122-pound category—within a year. WBC, WBO super bantam champion Inoue will collide with WBA, IBF counterpart Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) in Tokyo on December 26. It was announced on Wednesday by Hideyuki Ohashi of Ohashi Promotions, who emphasized the new chapter of the Monster legend. It will take place at the Ariake Arena (constructed for the previous Olympic Games here) the capacity of which is 15,000.
Naoya took four years, seven months to complete bantamweight unification of the four belts since he at first dethroned Jamie McDonnel via first round demolition in May 2018 until he collected the fourth belt from Paul Butler in December of the previous year. But Inoue, 30, quickly seized the two titles from WBC, WBO ruler Stephen Fulton in his first engagement this July after he outgrew the 118-pound category. In only five months the Monster may acquire the other two belts from the hard-punching Filipino southpaw Tapales, a year his senior at 31, if successful.
Inoue said at the press conference, “Fulton was a very skillful boxer, while Tapales is a crafty southpaw with good defensive ability based on his flexible body movement. He also can counterpunch with excellent timing. He seems very hungry for fame and fortune.” Sean Gibbons, the representative of MP Promotions on behalf of Tapales, said, “We know Inoue is an explosive puncher with full of confidence. Tapales, however, wishes to become the first Filipino boxer to unify four belts. Marlon is training in the US, but will come home in the Philippines this November to make himself fit and finally prepared.”
Again if successful, Inoue will follow the footsteps of Terrence Crawford who impressively accomplished his complete unification of the four major belts in a couple of weight divisions (super-light and welter categories). Asked how long he will stay in the 122-pound class, Naoya replied, “I may move up to the featherweight division in 2025. If possible, I’d like to fight three times next year—probably against Luis Nery, John Riel Casimero and Murodjon Akhmadaliev.”
Tapales is unbeaten here in Japan, having beaten Shohei Omori twice, won a technical decision over Hayato Kimura, but lost to Ryosuke Iwasa via eleventh round TKO with the vacant IBF interim belt at stake in New York in 2019. When in the teens, Marlon came to Japan to serve as a sparring partner for Kazuto Ioka, the current WBA 115-pound titleholder.
Boxing has passed the age of radio, television, cable TV and pay-per-view to have the industry bigger and bigger as time goes by. Now it is the age of internet, in another word, streaming. You can enjoy watching boxing bouts with your hand phone or PC from all over the world, which realistically produces gigantic money. Naoya Inoue, now a world famous phenomenon thanks to streaming or YouTube, is truly a special product of the internet age.
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He’s gonna accomplish it. His legacy has the potential make stand out boxing history. Let’s go Monster!
Hopefully this gives the monster the number one pound for pound status that he should already be enjoying, but make it official. He’ll do what Terrence Crawford just recently did, but also have World Championships in two other weight classes besides that.
No he should be #2. He didn’t beat any elite fighters. Those weight classes are full of mediocre fighters. But it’s not his fault
You DKSAB. Crawford hasn’t beaten any Elite Fighters except for a badly weight drained and Rusty Errol Spence. Besides, even a past his best Donaire is better than anybody Crawford fought before Spence. You would know that if you didn’t just start watching boxing last year and get all your boxing news from other posters who DKSAB either.
well said sir *clap*
No doubt he’s going to unify. what fighter in his weight class can stop him in the ring? The most they can do is refuse to fight him and stall.
Inoue has everything to sweep the division
It just goes to show what an actual attraction can do for a division. You had Fulton and MJ up there for a minute and not only did they never seem to get close to fighting, it seemed liked no one REALLY cared either. Inoue comes up and immediately takes Fulton and then goes after the guy who beats MJ and it doesn’t take any time at all. Had he not done that, Fulton would have probably moved up and vacated and MJ/Tapales would just be making random mandatories. It’s great for the sport.
Spot on Lucie!! Damn you know your Boxing!! Sometimes I think you’re actually Doug Fischer!!!
lol! Well thank you, BoriMex. I don’t recall life without boxing in it and you definitely know your stuff as well!
??? Speaking maybes and what ifs make you a boxing wiz. Ok
Oh damn Noccowt let somebody be nice to each other. I know you want to but you don’t have to piss all over EVERY parade.
Well, they know more than you do troll. Why are you even on this site? Just to agitate?
LEGENDARY!!! We’re watching generational GREATNESS!!
Props to Inoue for going after the biggest/baddest out there. He’s prob the closest we have to Bruce Lee.
Inuoe is going to beat Tapales silly.
Inoue shouldn’t overlook Tapales, despite being a massive favorite to win the fight. Just for respect, he shouldn’t be talking about his future plans at 122, especially with whom he might be fighting next.
i think the real difference between Inoues accomplishments if he does win his second undisputed weight class is he fought legit champions in both 118 and 122 where as at 140 Crawford fought weak no name competition
Duhhh that happens when you fight 2 fighters with 2 belts each. They make an article about anything. Pathetic