The prospect of a showdown with Naoya Inoue is almost as motivating as the world titles themselves in the super-bantamweight division, as a meeting with the pound-for-pound superstar is not only a fruitful one but also an opportunity to test yourself against one of boxing’s greatest talents. With Inoue set to formally announce his next opponent in the coming days, one of the rivals that he has snubbed has threatened to take legal action.
‘The Monster’ successfully transitioned from the bantamweight scene to the super-bantamweight division last year, after becoming Japan’s first undisputed champion at 118lbs.
Inoue (28-0) has replicated that success up at 122lbs by becoming boxing’s second multi-divisional four-belt undisputed champion, knocking out Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales to claim the titles before two defences against Luis Nery and TJ Doheny.
Following the win over Doheny in September, Inoue’s promoter Bob Arum promised that his fighter would return to the ring before the end of the year and then fight in the United States for the first time since 2021 in the early stages of next year. He is then expected to return to Japan for a salivating encounter with fellow domestic phenomenon Junto Nakatani – for what many believe to be the biggest clash in the history of Japanese boxing.
As for his December opponent, Australia’s Sam Goodman (19-0) has been the name consistently linked to the date, given the fact that he is the mandatory challenger with both the WBO and the IBF, yet it was WBA mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1) who previously stepped aside to allow Inoue to face Doheny.
A deal for Inoue-Goodman appears to be around the corner and is expected to be formally announced imminently, touted to take place on Christmas Eve in Tokyo, although Akhmadaliev and his team are now attempting to intervene.
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As per Dan Rafael’s Fight Freaks Unite, Akhmadaliev’s attorney Patrick English has written to the IBF and informed that ‘MJ’ and his team object to the Goodman fight and that they demanded that the WBA enforce their mandatory, as well as threatening to ‘take legal action’ if Inoue attempts to bypass the mandatory.
“Please be advised that we object, (on) behalf of Murodjon Akhmadaliev to this purse bid and, indeed, Mr. Goodman being the next bout of Mr. Inoue,”
“Murodjon Akhmadaliev is the long-standing WBA mandatory and in order of sequence the WBA mandatory (long overdue) is next in line. We have demanded that the WBA enforce the mandatory. We do not wish to threaten but we will take legal action if Mr. Inoue attempts to bypass his WBA mandatory.
“If Mr. Inoue wishes to vacate his WBA title then we cannot object to him fighting someone other than Murodjon Akhmadaliev, but as it stands now we object to anyone or any organization interfering with Mr. Akhmadaliev’s right.”
Should Inoue proceed with the Goodman fight, he may be forced to vacate his WBA title and forgo the undisputed crown, which could see the Uzbek upgraded to become a two-time champion and also line him up as the likely opponent for Inoue’s return to the United States in early 2025.
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