By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
Unbeaten Japanese superstar Naoya “Monster” Inoue (17-0, 15 KOs), 118, impressively kept his WBA bantamweight belt as he so quickly flattened former titlist Juan Carlos Payano (20-2, 9 KOs), 117.5, Dominican Republic, at 1:10 of the first round on Sunday in Yokohama, Japan. Naoya’s left-right combination was the haymaker. As soon as the fight started, it ended with the audience greatly stunned with such a quick demolition. As expected, Naoya’s punch was so devastating that the highly regarded Payano became a flattened pancake. Some 10,000 spectators were in attendance at the Yokohama Arena.
Having dethroned Jamie McDonnell via stunning stoppage in just 112 seconds this May, Naoya, in his initial defense, astoundingly demonstrated another knockout in 70 seconds, totaling only 182 seconds in the two WBA 118-pound title bouts.
People here regarded Payano as a dangerous rival due to his excellent credentials that he wrested the WBA belt from WBA super champ Anselmo Moreno in 2014 and yielded it to Rau’shee Warren by a hairline majority nod (115-113 twice, 114-114) in their rematch (with the first encounter won by Payano, though by a split duke) next year. That’s the one and only setback in his career since he entered the paid ranks after his two-time participations in the Olympic Games in Athens and in Beijing.
Furthermore, Payano was a puzzling southpaw with good hand speed and skills. Some experts here predicted Naoya’s tough competition against such a well-experienced opposition.
As the opening session started, they faced each other with light leads and feints to probe the counterpart’s mobility and fight plan. Payao once attempted to step in with a southpaw right, and Inoya lifted a right uppercut to indicate that he could find the rhythm and judge the distance.
Naoya’s jab penetrated Payano’s right hand guard and a vicious right exploded at the face with perfect precision. Down he went with a thud. The Dominican downed backward with the legs up in the air. His damage was such that we instantly realized Payano was unable to raise himself in time. The referee Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand) tolled the fatal ten, and the loser still remained flat on the canvas for minutes.
Naoya, with this stunning knockout, renewed three Japanese records as our world champion in world title bouts: (1) seven consecutive knockouts (previously, Yoko Gushiken’s six), (2) eleven knockouts in world title bouts (previously, Takashi Uchiyama’s ten), and (3) quickest KO victory (previously, Akinobu Hiranaka’s stoppage of Edwin Chapo Rosario in 1:32 of the first round in Mexico in 1992).
Inoue proudly said, “I felt my power punch with the hands, and believed Payano wouldn’t be able to stand up and resume fighting. I hope to go on fighting for ten more years and then would like to review my footstep as a boxer with constant progress.”
The crestfallen loser Payano gloomily said, “His last shot was invisible. It was so powerful that I couldn’t fight on. I admire his power. He’ll win the WBSS tourney.”
Kalle Sauerland, the event organizer, expressed his great surprise and highly praised Naoya’s stunning performance, saying, “His punch was like a bomb. Upon explosion, the shock wave expanded to Payao as well as the huge audience. Pound-for-pound, Inoue might be one of the hardest punchers like Golovkin, Canelo, etc.”
The schedule of season 2 of the WBSS in the bantamweight category is as follows:
On October 20, in Orlando, Florida, IBF titleholder Emanuel Rodriguez (18-0, 12 KOs) will face unbeaten Australian Jason Moloney (17-0, 14 KOs). Naoya and his manager Hideyuki Ohashi will go and see their confrontation since the winner will be Naoya’s next.
On October 13, in Ekaterinburg, Russia, WBO ruler Zolani Tete (27-3, 20 KOs), South Africa, will defend his belt against unbeaten Russian prospect Mikhail Aloyan (4-0).
On November 3, in Glasgow, UK, WBA super champ Ryan Burnett (19-0, 9 KOs) will take on formerly four-division champ “Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire (38-5, 24 KOs).
Who will be the ultimate WBSS winner?
Promoter: Ohashi Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions.
WBA supervisor: George Martinez (Canada).
WBA judges who didn’t score any round: Luigi Boscarelli (Italy), Gustavo Jarquin (Nicaragua), Pawel Kardyni (Poland).
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