Who will Naoya Inoue fight next? New targets available for ‘The Monster’
Shortly after undisputed super bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue obliterated Luis Nery on May 6 in Tokyo, he was approached at centre ring by unbeaten Australian Sam Goodman, who is currently the IBF’s mandatory challenger.
While nothing was made official, it looked likely that Goodman was next up for “The Monster”, probably in Japan around September time. However, according to Fox Sports, Goodman has decided to take a tuneup fight in July and is now targeting Inoue’s December date instead.
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This means Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) is free to make a voluntary title defence in September before revisiting the Australian. This all sounds fantastic, only the Japanese destroyer is fast running out of opposition at 122 pounds and many expect him to move up to the featherweight division very soon.
The Sporting News looks at the options available for Inoue at present.
Will Inoue fight John Riel Casimero?
Casimero (33-4-1, 22 KOs) is a former three-weight world champion from the Philippines and he would be a worthy foe for Inoue.
A brooding and enigmatic character, Casimero holds wins over Amnat Ruenroeng, Charlie Edwards and Zolani Tete. The 35-year-old is coming off a four-round technical draw against Japanese national Yukinori Oguni in October and is looking for a fight.
Should Casimero elect to get under Inoue’s skin during the buildup, then this could be an explosive encounter.
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Will Inoue fight Murodjon Akhmadaliev?
Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) was supposed to fight Inoue last year but was relieved of his unified super bantamweight crown by Marlon Tapales, who then fell victim to The Monster in December.
Given that Inoue is the biggest money option available in this weight class, “MJ” would be more than happy to accept the assignment. Since the Tapales setback, the Uzbekistan star has bounced back with a convincing stoppage win over Kevin Gonzalez and he’s still full of ambition.
The 29-year-old Akhmadaliev was an amateur standout, capturing silver at the 2015 World Championships and bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Will Inoue fight TJ Doheny?
While he’s something of a wild card, Ireland’s Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) has as much of a right to secure the Inoue fight as Casimero or Akhmadaliev — maybe more.
Ever since he upset Ryosuke Iwasa for the IBF super bantamweight title in 2018, Doheny has become something of a crowd favourite in Japan. Despite blowing hot in cold in subsequent years, the 37-year-old lefty has fought his last three fights in Tokyo and won them all by stoppage.
He’d need the luck of the Irish to beat Inoue, but who wouldn’t?
