Naoya Inoue, the newly crowned undisputed super bantamweight champion of the world, is plotting to have a very active 2024, and the undefeated Japanese boxing star wants to have three fights next year.
Naoya Inoue wants to remain at super bantamweight
“The Monster” has had a brilliant 2022 and 2023- having become undisputed at bantamweight in December last year and in just a year’s time, earned his second undisputed crown at super bantamweight, becoming the only male boxer after Terence Crawford to achieve the feat in the four belt era.
There were speculations that Inoue might make a jump up to featherweight, but the two division undisputed champ revealed to Sanspo that he wants to remain at 122 to clear up the division and his most immediate plan is to face WBC mandatory Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome in May, followed by squaring off against Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Saudi Arabia in September.
“I’ve told Chairman Ohashi that I want to play three games next year. That’s why (the next match) will be in May,” said Inoue, while adding that he wants six total matches in the next two years.
The Tokyo Dome, where Inoue wants to face Neri, has a capacity of 55,000 spectators and if the fight take place there, it will be the first time in 34 years that the Tokyo Dome will be hosting a boxing match. The last time the venue hosted a boxing match was Buster Douglas’ astonishing 1990 upset of Mike Tyson.
“We are considering a larger venue for the next match, and we are also considering holding it in Saudi Arabia. Tokyo Dome is an option,” added Hideyuki Ohashi, the chairman of Inoue’s gym.
ALSO READ: Terence Crawford Declares Himself “2023 Fighter Of The Year”, Here’s What Fans Are Saying
