By Joe Koizumi
“Monster” Naoya Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs), 117.75, unified the four belts of the world bantamweight championship, as he patiently kept stalking and whipping WBO ruler Paul Butler (34-3, 15 KOs), 118, and finally dropped him with a flurry of punches to score a fine stoppage at 1:09 of the eleventh round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.
(More to come)
Inoue the monster has too much power and what appears to also have a granite chin.
Inoue, you are the greatest!
Paul Butler was disgusting garbage. It was a great win for the champion undisputed great great victory.
Butler came to survive. He wàs pounded all night but rarely opened up. Inoue stepped it up to a higher gear in the 11th and threw combinations with speed and power. A devastating body shot to the right side followed by a combination to body and head finally put him down. Butler was still obviously hurt to the body as he lay back on the canvas trying to catch his breath after the ref stopped it.
I believe Inoue could have taken him out earlier with a sustained attack but it was a treat to watch him go the rounds. A fight between Stephen Fulton and Inoue would be a megafight but I’d bet on Inoue’s punching power any day. Inoue is a
special fighter who will continue to make noise in the next two weight classes. Next stop, super bantamweight division.
Monster was superb. He made Paul Butler look like a pedestrian. No contest.
Maybe he’ll stick around at 118 to see if Ioka beats Franco and is interested in moving up, otherwise, I think Fulton is moving up to featherweight; if he stays, that’s two vacant belts and the other two are with the same guy. I don’t know how well Inoue does moving up past bantam, but as it stands right now, he’s one of the best small fighters of all time. He’s the best Japanese fighter most of us have ever seen and the second best Asian fighter altogether and he’s only 29 years old! There’s probably another 2-3 years of prime left for him.
Um Inoue is the best Asian fighter, Manny Pac was a steroid cheat who hand picked his opponents.
pacquioa isnt asian his Austronesian
Manny fought everybody haha who did he hand pick?
till him to fight johnriel casemiro
Monster” Naoya Inoue should move up in weight to featherweight since he already dominated the batamweight division.
Inoue should not move up. At his height with his frame he is perfect for bantamweight. Seeing a guy at his ideal weight is awesome. If he moves up he will be beaten by a naturally bigger opponent the way the last few special bantamweights were: Rigo and Donaire. He should stay at bantamweight and beat all comers for a few years and then retire. If the big guys want to fight him they can go on a diet. What is everyone’s obsession with always wanting great fighters to move up in weight until they have a size disadvantage that makes them no longer great?
He wont get credit for these types of fights. You dont move weight just to be great. Its to find the great fights, beat the best, and become great.
Im not sure who has ” obsession with always wanting great fighters to move up in weight ”
Thats not the case. He can stay where he’s at just like GGG. And we see how Canelo separated himself by seeking other challenges. Fighters and fans brag of championships in multiple weight classes.
Thats what P4P best means. Thats what put Tim Bradley in the HOF.
You seem more concerned that he’s too small and not skilled enough to do what other greats have done.
With that line of reasoning a heavyweight couldn’t become an all time great because he couldn’t move up.
GGG not only stayed at middleweight, but he became almost semi-retired with how often he fought and, when he did fight, he wasn’t fighting the best guys available. I think he’d be in a better place had he spent some of those non Canelo fights on Charlo and Andrade instead of Steve Rolls and the Polish guy he fought.
And, in Inoue’s case, he’s a three division champ and he skipped flyweight, he hopped from jr fly to jr bantam. So he’s already moved up quite a bit and eventually you get to the point where you start to wonder how high he can realistically go. I think he does end up at 122 EVENTUALLY and if it doesn’t go too well for him there, the reason why will already be set: Well it was just too big for him, because he’s earned that right already.
Don’t understand that either-moving up a division four pounds means nothing. Only good reason for moving up is outgrowing the weight class.
I don’t necessarily disagree with that and I do think Inoue at bantamweight is likely to be the best version of him when we look back at his career. I think that the problem with him staying at 118, at least in the short term, is opposition. If he starts making the rounds of making mandatory defenses for al of those belts, the first people he runs into are Moloney, Rodriguez and Donaire and he’s already stopped all of them. The next group of guys would be Butler and Inoue’s little brother and… maybe McGregor and the likes and I don’t want to see that. All of those guys would have to get lucky to beat him so, if he stays at bantam he’s likely to be almost entirely dependent on someone coming up or down to fight him. Maybe Ioka takes it, maybe not, but I don’t think Estrada and Chocolatito want that fight. 115 is a great division at the top and those guys can probably make pretty good money fighting each other.
Butler did better than what the vast majority were expecting: a crushing defeat inside 5 rounds. He was honest in the ring trying to survive the onslaught from Inoue without recurring to dirty tactics, once Inoue leaves 118, he can try to regain his title with a huge chance to succeed, after all great job Butler
Agreed. A very reasonable showing when fighting the pound for pound best in the world.
Would absolutely love to see Inoue vs Fulton!! Best fight that can be made &22! MSG or VEGAS!!
Butler looked old and did a great impersonation of a moving punching bag.
Perfect opponent for an Inoue showcase.
I’ll bet Fulton moves up.. knows he can’t hurt Inoue. The monster is more than just a power puncher. Setting up the power shots takes a lot of skill and if the opponent can’t discourage, keep him honest, or hurt him then it’s only a matter of time. Fulton and his people are well aware.
Fulton knows he doesn’t hurt anyone so thats a moot point. The intrigue with that fight is Inoue hasn’t encountered a guy bigger with that kind of movement and speed.
Inoue is a “Monster” in the ring, but he will later have a calm entry into the HOF.
Great fighter at 115 and 118. If he continues making weight at 118, then keep fighting all challengers.
I believe the Monster will go to 122 because he is a fierce, great warrior looking to test his boxing limits.
Win, lose or draw at 122, Monster Inoue will later stroll into the gates of the HOF.
I know I may get reamed for this, but the truth hurts; who has this guy beat, except a 39 year old Nonito Donaire and he went through hell and high water with him the first fight. He’s good, without question, but great, let’s hold the horses; he’s fighting nobodies. Inoue is 5’5 and could reasonably go up to 122 to fight Fulton, who’s 5’7, if he desires. Isaac Cruz is only 5’4 and he fights at lightweight (135 lb). Most of those guys kill themselves to make weight, that’s why you see more boxing deaths, historically, at those lower weights. You don’t see many 118 lb men walking around in 2022, even if they are Asian.
Everybody. He has dominated 3 divisions. You not knowing the opponents says more about your boxing knowledge than about him.
Inoue has to fight John Riel Casimero next , John Riel Casimero is ready for the japanese monster
I assume you are either Philippine or just don’t know anything about boxing. John Riel Casimero would get smashed by Inoue.
inoue is scared of John Riel Casimero he avoids him.
Stupid comment of the day..
Paul Butler lost to Zolani Tete lost to John Riel Casimero…Paul Butler lost to Inoue there’s something missing.
Sultan beat Casimero, Butler beat Sultan, Inoue kayoed Butler. That’s what’s missing…..see how your logic works?
sultan was robbed in britain against butler
He’d be a big name in the division that Inoue hasn’t fought, but last I heard Casimero was having problems making the weight. This fight would have been against him had he not gotten stripped because he would have beaten Paul Butler.
Everyone knew that was coming, only question is, what took so long?
Fury never shuts up and makes millions
Inoue never talks and I am sure they boxing powers that be are paying him squat.
He is class and a killer. More props to his ilk.
bivol will beat fury, fury is a clown
If Inoue moves up to superbatamweight he will lose to Stephen Fulton
Greatest Japanese fighter ever and one of the best fighter to lace up à pair of gloves.. Simply a genius !
Inoue looks to be best P4P.