Pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue will look to capture yet another world title in front of a hometown crowd when he takes on undefeated super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton in Tokyo.
Inoue claims the No. 2 spot on Bleacher Report’s pound-for-pound rankings. The Japanese superstar has collected world titles at an impressive rate with championships at 108, 115 and 118 pounds.
Now, he’ll take on his literal biggest challenge yet, attempting to win another title at 122 pounds.
Fulton will be looking to put a major feather in his cap as well. He has held at least one world title since 2019 and has done an impressive job of unifying them since. However, a win over Inoue would put him on a new level of recognition.
There’s a lot on the line for both fighters and we should get a high-level fight as a result. Here’s a look at all the info you need to catch the international affair with a preview and prediction.
When: Tuesday, July 25 at 4:30 a.m. ET
Where: Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan
Live stream: ESPN+
Odds: Inoue -340 (bet $340 to win $100); Fulton +250 (bet $100 to win $250)
How Will Inoue Look at 122 Pounds?
This fight will be Inoue’s first venture into 122 pounds. If there’s a reason to doubt Inoue, it’s the fact that he’s taking on the best the division has to offer in his first fight at the new weight.
Fulton is a natural in the weight class and will be the bigger, stronger fighter. Even if Fulton doesn’t have great power, he’s still going to have some advantages which minimizes the physical advantages that Inoue has had against smaller opponents.
The pound-for-pound contender gives full credit to Fulton as a credible opponent.
“My impression is that he uses his feet the full 12 rounds,” said Inoue told reporters. “He strictly uses his boxing style and comes to win. He also has a physical side too. He has the stamina to go all 12 rounds. He is definitely a powerful opponent.”
Inoue is still the favorite. But it’s safe to say this is one of the toughest tests of his career to this point.
Can Fulton’s Defense Neutralize Inoue’s Power?
Stephen Fulton is taking a big risk by choosing this fight. He’s the champion, there were other options available. He could have pushed back on having the fight in Japan. He could have pushed for a rematch clause.
Instead, he’s just making a bet that his skills are going to allow him to challenge Inoue in a way we haven’t seen.
“Good, I like that,” Fulson told Ring TV in response to a question about his long odds. “I keep to myself, and I do my thing. My training went great. I feel great. I would say I have 10 percent of people in boxing that believe in me. This is the fourth champion in a row I’ll be facing. I love challenges.”
What Fulton lacks in pure punching power he makes up for with elite defense. As Inoue noted, he’s excellent at using his movement to frustrate opponents. In a phone booth, he doesn’t have a chance of punching his opponent.
But if he can keep his distance and force Inoue to chase throughout the fight he has a shot to make things interesting.
This one could be closer than the odds would indicate.
Inoue is deserving of his pound-for-pound rank. He has demolished so many of his opponents in multiple weight classes and has been a destroyer no matter what weight class he’s in.
But Fulton isn’t going to try and go toe-to-toe with him. He’s a defensive fighter by nature and he has the movement skills to make this a frustrating affair for his opponent.
Ultimately, that defensive acumen and athleticism might only be enough to force this one to the scorecards. To pull off the upset Fulton is going to have to land some offense of his own. and that’s where it’s hard to see his upset big having success.
Inoue might not land a knockout blow, but his skill and power are going to be enough to win over the judges.
Prediction: Inoue via decision
