Paul Butler (34-2, 15 KOs) could get a shot at becoming undisputed bantamweight champion later this year.
The 33-year-old’s last win against Jonas Sultan earned him the WBO Interim title but shortly after he was elevated to full status after John Riel Casimero was stripped of his belt. Butler is now a two-time champion at 118lbs having won the IBF version against Stuart Hall in 2014.
The first time Butler gets the opportunity to defend his championship may take place in Japan against triple title holder Naoya Inoue who was in action yesterday in Saitama. The 29-year-old cut through the brief threat of Nonito Donaire and destroyed the veteran Filipino in two rounds to take his WBC title in the process. The undefeated knockout artist now wants all four belts at 118lbs.
“Talks have been had about an undisputed fight and Inoue’s team want the fight to happen next before he looks on moving up, so that means this year,” Butler told DAZN.
“Undisputed is everything to him and he can’t do that before he fights me. I’m desperate for the fight and I’m going to go over there and give it everything I’ve got because that’s what it’s going to take to beat a fighter like Inoue.”
Two opponents link the careers of Inoue and Butler, but one magnifies the size of the task at hand for ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’. Emmanuel Rodriguez lost his IBF Bantamweight strap in two rounds to the Japanese sensation in 2019. One year earlier the Puerto Rican dished out the second defeat of Butler’s career beating him handily over 12 rounds, dropping his opponent twice in the first round.