By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat
“The Monster” Naoya Inoue, the WBA/IBF bantamweight champion, has left Japan for Las Vegas via Los Angeles this evening on Sunday. Naoya accompanied his father/trainer Shingo and younger brother/ex-WBC interim 118-pound champ Takuma. The Monster said, “I’ve perfectly prepared for my defense against Australian challenger Jason Moloney at the MGM Grand on October 31. I will show my best performance there.” Having watched the live telecast of the Teofimo Lopez-Vasyl Lomachenko unification title bout, Naoya took the flight for LAX. Bon voyage.
I believe Inoue is well prepared for this fight and I hope some corrections have ben made on his defense, that looked very permeable against Donaire. Moloney looks very confident, but I feel that will dissipate in hurry, once he feels Inoue’s power.
This young man has the ability to become one of the greatest ever!
I just love the way Inoue fights. His punches have incredible velocity and he punches through the target. I feel his best weight class is at 115 lbs because of his small frame, but the big money is at bantamweight. It’s not just power with Inoue. He’s always balanced ready to punch and has boxing skills to go along with that explosive power.
Moloney is a tough fighter and should put up a good fight. He definitely does not punch as hard as Donaire so he doesn’t pose a major threat to Inoue. However, when two men enter into the ring, anything can happen. It doesn’t always take a hard punch to take someone out. Just a perfectly placed one in a vulnerable location. Case in point, Jermell Charlo and Jeison Rosario.
I really look forward to seeing Inoue fight again. Some major matches are on tap for October 31st, but this one is at the top of my list to see live. It really doesn’t work to have two or more fights on at the same time (picture in picture or on a separate TV). My attention would be diluted in that scenario. Davis and Santa Cruz I can catch later. I figure Usyk will outspeed Chisora, so that one will be third on my list for later viewing.
All but the hardcore fans remember Ricardo Lopez.
The lighter weights garnered nary any attention back then unfortunately
Yes, there were some big names back then, Michael Carbajal and Humberto “chiquita” Gonzalez (1993 fight of the year). They were light flyweight (108) and Ricardo Lopez Lopez strawweight (104). A fight between Michael Carbajal vs. Ricardo “finito” Lopez was demanded for many people through the years when they were on their primes, but never happened, mostly because of promoters and also Finito never wanted to go up in weight, just at the end of his boxing career (last three fights). In Mexico wanted him vs. Gonzalez, but never happened.
Lopez definitely is a great fighter because he beatca great fighter
If Moloney is not talking shit, then this should be the fight of the year. I want my fellow Aussie to win but Inoue is just on another level.
Look forward to this, cant wait!.
you are afraid of johnriel casimero therefore you are a coward
why is it always a mystery what’s on espn and what’s on espn+, depending where you look it’ll say one or the other. is there a definitive source? (not espn.com since they had the loma-lopex undercard at 730 only on + but then it turned out it was on regular espn as well)