Naoya "The Monster" Inoue is back in action, putting the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring Magazine super bantamweight titles on the line against Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Japanese boxing fans are in for a treat as Naoya “The Monster” Inoue defends his undisputed super-bantamweight titles against Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev on Sunday, Sept. 14, at the IG Arena in Nagoya.
Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) enters the fight as one of the sport’s most feared punchers and a pound-for-pound superstar.
The undefeated Japanese champion showcased both his vulnerability and resilience in his last outing against Ramon Cardenas, where he was knocked down for only the second time in his career.
But true to his moniker, Inoue roared back and stopped Cardenas in the eighth round, reaffirming his dominance in the 122-pound division.
Standing in his way is Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs), a 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist who quickly rose through the ranks in the pros.
The Uzbek fighter is no stranger to championship glory, having once held the WBA and IBF titles at super bantamweight.
He lost those titles to Marlon Tapales, but the Filipino champion later lost to belts to Inoue via knockout.
Akhmadaliev is fresh off a victory over Luis Castillo last May and is the WBA interim champion.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. For Inoue, victory would further cement his place among the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in history.
For Akhmadaliev, it’s the chance to reclaim world titles and shock the boxing world by handing Inoue his first professional defeat.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]