By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
WBC, WBO super bantamweight champion “Monster” Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) participated in a public workout at Ohashi Gym in Yokohama, Japan. Naoya said, “I’ve finished 116 sparring sessions with good Mexican partners. That’s more than in preparation for my previous fight against Stephen Fulton last July. I’ve trained hard to refrain from overconfidence against Marlon Tapales and try to concentrate on training itself.” Asked about his motivation to his ultimate unification with Tapales, Inoue replied, “I’m very highly motivated to win all the four championship belts. The winner can take all.”
His manager/promoter Hideyuki Ohashi (former WBC, WBA 105-pound champ) described Naoya’s physical and mental condition as follows, “Naoya has done very good and sharp training menu. He’s fully concentrated on his important fight with Tapales. He is more serious this time than against Fulton.”
The fight is coming soon.
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The Monster” Naoya Inoue has been getting his left eye dotted in sparring it looks like, but I understand it’s preparation and it happens.