Naoya Inoue isn’t taken with shifting as much as 126 after his seventh-round knockout of TJ Doheny on Tuesday night time on the Ariake Area in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) made his second protection of his undisputed tremendous bantamweight title in opposition to 37-year-old Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs), whose again gave out on him through the seventh spherical. It wasn’t what Inoue did that ended the struggle.
Is Inoue Avoiding More durable Fights?
Doheny’s again couldn’t deal with all of the leaning that he was doing to keep away from Inoue’s punches and ultimately froze on him. After the struggle, it was realized that Inoue, 31, can be staying at 122 and plans to defend in opposition to his IBF obligatory Sam Goodman on December twenty fourth in Tokyo.’
Whenever you see Inoue combating guys like Doheny and Luis Nery and focusing on the sunshine hitter Goodman, it’s exhausting to not conclude that he’s avoiding the harder fights. If Inoue have been taken with combating harder guys, he’d have already moved as much as 126 earlier this 12 months, and he wouldn’t be planning to struggle Goodman.
“You name him ‘The Monster,’ and also you anoint him as this mythological particular person, and you then anticipate him to go up in weight and struggle all people on a regular basis,” mentioned commentator Chris Algieri to the Inside Boxing Reside YouTube channel, speaking about Naoya Inoue wanting human in his struggle in opposition to TJ Doheny on Tuesday night time.
Inoue solely moved up in weight 4 instances, and he’s now the place he ought to have been from the beginning of his profession. He’s all the time enormous for the 112, 115, and 118-lb divisions. He’s now combating guys his measurement at 122, however the division is so completely barren of expertise that Inoue wants to maneuver as much as 126.
The Concern Issue
All of the gifted fighters are in that weight class as a result of there’s no level in combating at 122. In spite of everything, the one man there value combating is Inoue. He received’t struggle them as a result of he’s too busy being selective.
“It’s all the time, ‘What’s subsequent? Transfer as much as 126.’ Guys, he’s human. He’s combating at 122. He’s under-sized; he’s a smaller man. It’s his fourth, and he’s nonetheless stopping all these guys. For the size of his profession, shifting up and combating greater guys with extra expertise, however he’s nonetheless stopping them,” mentioned Algieri.
Followers wish to see Inoue transfer as much as 126 as a result of that’s the place all of the gifted fighters are. If the 122-lb division have been as nicely stocked with high quality fighters because the 126-lb division is, followers wouldn’t be badgering Inoue to maneuver up. 122 is stuffed with older fighters, and followers need Inoue to maneuver as much as 126, the place he’d have an limitless provide of nice fights.
“Granted, he’s not mowing guys down with one-punch KOs like he was doing at 118 and 115, however he’s human,” Algieri continued about Inoue. “He’s going to say no. He’s 31 years outdated. He says he needs to do two extra years at this weight class [122].”
What’s Algieri speaking about? Inoue is already exhibiting a decline within the energy and hand velocity division. We noticed that in his fights in opposition to Doheny, Marlon Tapales, and Luis Nery. Like many fighters who decelerate after they attain their 30s, Inoue is starting to indicate indicators of slowing down, and that’s age. Inoue’s followers may not like listening to it, however they have to face the reality.
‘Monster’ Inoue is getting outdated and able to be crushed. Therefore, he’s but to indicate curiosity in combating Murodjon Akhmadaliev or shifting as much as struggle the younger lion Bruce Carrington, who’s ready to devour him at 126.
That’s why Inoue is selecting to remain rooted to the spot at 122, selecting the sunshine hitter Sam Goodman for his subsequent struggle on December twenty fourth. Inoue is now not prepared to take dangers. Concern has set in and has received Inoue by its clutches. He can’t break away and isn’t even making an attempt. It will take {an electrical} prod to maneuver Naoya out of his hunker to face skills like Murodjon and Carrington.
Questioning His Personal Skills
“I all the time say, ’33 is that magic quantity.’ 33 is when guys actually begin to dip. Inoue has received a few years left. I noticed an interview on ESPN about what he’s going to do subsequent, and he was questioning his personal capacity to maneuver up [to 126]. I’d by no means heard him do this in an interview,” mentioned Algieri.
Inoue’s supposed remark questioning his capacity to maneuver up would possibly clarify his reluctance to maneuver as much as 126 after he completed his aim of changing into the undisputed tremendous bantamweight champion final December together with his victory over Marlon Tapales. Followers had anticipated Inoue to maneuver as much as featherweight after that win, however he didn’t. As a substitute, he’s stayed at 122, combating Luis Nery and Doheny.
Giving Followers What They Need?
“So, I believe that’s actually indicative, and I believe it exhibits at 122. You see these guys. They’re simply greater individuals than him. These followers which are knocking him for being human. It’s loopy. You’ve received to take a look at his profession in totality and perceive that he’s giving followers what they need by combating stiffer challenges in greater weight courses,” mentioned Algieri about Inoue.
Followers would disagree with Algieri’s remark about Inoue giving them the fights they need in greater weight courses as a result of they didn’t need him to struggle the washed Luis Nery or TJ Doheny. These have been Inoue’s infants. He wished these fights, not the followers.
Followers wished Inoue to struggle these fighters:
Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Bruce Carrington
Rafael Espinoza
Jesse ‘Bam’ Ridriguez
Gervonta Davis
Nick Ball
