Japanese boxing star Naoya Inoue successfully defended his undisputed Super Bantamweight title in Tokyo on September 3, 2024, after his opponent TJ Doheny was forced to retire in the seventh round due to a back injury. The highly anticipated bout ended in a disappointing fashion when, in the seventh round, Doheny dropped to one knee and signaled his inability to continue the fight.
Inoue will potentially fight in December
“Monster” is now expected to return to the boxing ring for his next fight in December 2024. His opponent is expected to be Australian boxer Sam Goodman, who is the mandatory IBF challenger in the super bantamweight division. This bout is much anticipated, as “Sammy The Ghost” is preparing specifically for this matchup. Currently he is recovering from a hand injury he suffered in his previous fight.
Goodman has an amazing undefeated record and is coming off a win over Chainoi Worawut. He has expressed his eagerness to face Inoue despite the injury. The clash is expected to take place in Tokyo, where Naoya will defend his undisputed title. This matchup could be one of the best highlights of this year in boxing. Inoue’s team has also hinted at possible plans for their bout in Las Vegas in 2025, which would mark a big milestone in his illustrious career.
The Japanese star has solidified his status as a top fighter
During his fight against Doheny, Inoue began to dominate the fight from the sixth round. His opponent looked cautious in the initial rounds but began to stagger after taking persistent body shots from Inoue. A major moment came when the Japanese boxer delivered a powerful combination that appeared to worsen Doheny’s injury, eventually leading to the stoppage. Despite the anticlimactic ending, Inoue’s win was seen as almost inevitable by that point. He has now extended his undefeated record to 28-0, with 25 of these wins coming via knockout. This win marked his ninth consecutive win by knockout and solidified his status as one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Also Read: Francis Ngannou expresses desire to fight Deontay Wilder in a boxing match
This was Inoue’s second title defense win since becoming the undisputed champion. He is the four-division world champion and is only the second boxer in history to become an undisputed champion in two different weight classes during the four-belt era. For Doheny, the defeat is a major setback. The former champion has held the title from 2018 to 2019 and now his record is dropped to 26-5. His injury and Inoue’s tremendous strength proved too difficult for him to overcome.
