The boxing world has been fawning over Naoya Inoue this week, after he became a four weight world champion in Tokyo.
In his first fight at 122lbs and one that many expected to be one of the toughest tests of his career, Inoue made unified super bantamweight world champion Stephen Fulton look like a white collar hobbyist.
‘The Monster’ dominated proceedings from the opening bell, right up until the eighth round, where he stopped Fulton in what has become predictably devastating fashion.
Former world champion Shawn Porter was working at the fight as an analyst for ESPN, and told FightHype he can’t see anyone defeating Inoue at his new weight class.
“I don’t see anybody stopping him [Inoue]. He’s special, I don’t see anybody stopping him at 122.”
All roads now appear to look towards a second undisputed fight in twelve months for Inoue, after WBA and IBF champion Marlon Tapales faced off with him in the ring post fight at the Ariake Arena and appears keen for a four belt unification towards the end of the year.
Though Tapales is a formidable fighter who landed a career best win against the previously undefeated Murdjon Akhmadaliev last time out, he would go into a fight with Inoue as a huge underdog – as would any other fighter at super bantamweight.
Most observers feel it is inevitably that Inoue will become undisputed at a second successive weight class, before moving up to featherweight for potential fights with the likes of Robeisy Ramirez and Rey Vargas.