American fight commentator Teddy Atlas has named Japanese talent Naoya Inoue as someone who could have succeeded in any era.
Following his explosive knockout win over Stephen Fulton on July 25 in Toyko, many people are now even more impressed with generational great ‘The Monster’ than they already were. The seemingly straightforward victory over a highly-rated challenger means he is now a four-division world champion and the current unified super bantamweight title holder with both the WBC and WBO belts.
He is also the former undisputed bantamweight world champion, meaning that should he come out on top in a proposed unification fight at super bantamweight with Filipino Marlon Tapales later this year, he will be the only man in the four-belt era to have been undisputed in two weight divisions.
Teddy Atlas was one of the many onlookers who tweeted that he was blown away by Inoue’s performance. He won by knockout in the seventh, with many people believing he barely lost a round up to that point.
“I have always favored the 1930s- 1960s, 1970s-1980s, as Boxing’s best. But Inoue would have fit with the greatest of any era. He’s the full package, which consists of: speed, power, smarts, technique, brains, instinct, timing, and controlled ferocity. Simply Special.”
I have always favored the 1930s- 1960s, 1970s-1980s, as Boxing’s best. But Inoue would have fit with greatest of any era. He’s the full package, which consists of: speed, power, smarts, technique, brains, instinct, timing, and controlled ferocity. Simply Special. #FultonInoue… https://t.co/ip0xbhk5WY
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) July 25, 2023
The latest win for Inoue, who has also beaten Paul Butler and Nonito Donaire twice, puts him right up there as one of the pound-for-pound best and saw him hailed by retired multi-weight champion and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.