By: Sean Crose
He ended up victorious, however Naoya Inoue discovered himself in a spot few anticipated him to be Monday in Tokyo, Japan – on the mat. An image good left hook by challenger Luis Nery put undisputed tremendous bantamweight champion Inoue down within the first spherical. Suffice to say, it was the primary time the 26-0 Inoue had ever been despatched off his ft. Though he rose to beat the rely, Inoue needed to fend the 35-1 Nery off because the challenger went in for the kill. Nery managed to outlive the spherical, however a degree had been made loud and clear – Inoue, when dealing with the appropriate opponent, might certainly be weak.
Not that Inoue didn’t rise to the event after having tasted the canvas. For, although Nery had a superb first, the battle belonged to Inoue from the second spherical on. Nery himself tasted the mat within the second, then Inoue dropped the gutsy former titlist once more within the fifth. After which got here the sixth. Nery was already wanting totally crushed up whereas Inoue had taken to taunting his man. Finally, it was a Dempseyesque mixture from Inoue that despatched Nery to the mat for good. His head swinging below the ropes prefer it was solely linked to his torso by a string, the gutsy Nery was the image of defeat.
At 31 years of age, Inoue’s profession is now value as an entire, for he’s unquestionably one of many greats of this era of fighters. Many, if not most, analysts really feel that both Inoue or Terence Crawford is the best energetic fighter on the planet as we speak. Whereas this author offers a slight edge to Crawford, there’s no denying that Inoue is true up there with the magnificent Nebraskan. For starters, all however three of Inoue’s now 27 wins have come throughout the distance.
If that’s not sufficient, the fighter recognized (understandably) as “The Monster” has received world titles in 4 separate weight divisions – and has been the undisputed champion in two of these 4 divisions. Solely Crawford can declare to have completed such a feat. Inoue is extra than simply spectacular on paper, nonetheless. To look at the person in motion is like watching a human cannon decimate his targets. His punches are as highly effective because the are correct. We reside in hyperbolic instances, however it at this level, it’s not ridiculous to ask the place Inoue may stand among the many sport’s legends.
