Naoya Inoue and the paradox of an elite pound-for-pound fighter
At a brief huddle for American media Friday, Inoue told Uncrowned and other reporters that he'd describe himself as 'a sportsman' more so than a boxer, or a fighter.
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But if he wants to go one step further and become a superstar over here, much like he is in Japan, he will have to work harder — and take on opponents who present a greater challenge than Cardenas, who BetMGM bookmakers have as a +1450 underdog.
There is a weird paradox when it comes to an elite fighter like Inoue.
The 32-year-old, nicknamed Kaibutsu (Monster), boxes like a showman. Uncrowned's No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, Inoue has piercing combination punches, instinctive pivots, and a tremendous fluidity to his work as he baits opponents and then punishes them with shots thrown with the baddest of intentions. If you like watching combat sport athletes at the peak of their powers, then he's must-see TV.
Luis Nery showed Inoue has vulnerabilities when, in 2024, he floored him with a left-handed shovel hook, yet the super bantamweight champion showed his heart by climbing up from the canvas to knock the Mexican out in front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
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A four-weight world champion, Inoue has broken the hearts of Brits, Filipinos and Australians with wins over Jamie McDonnell, Nonito Donaire, and Jason Moloney. His international infamy within boxing circles has grown enormously through the years.
He is a legitimate superstar even outside of boxing circles in his home country, but is yet to reach anywhere near that status in the U.S.
It is Cinco de Mayo weekend, a period in which Las Vegas welcomes high-rollers from Mexico and typically comps them floor seats for the biggest boxing fights of the year. A boxer doesn't even need to be Mexican to command the Saturday closest to May 5, as Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it his own during the most lucrative years of his pro career. Since his retirement, though, it has become one of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's key dates.
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With "Canelo" in Saudi Arabia for the first of a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, taking on William Scull on Saturday night, Inoue has the chance to experience big-bout vibes in the Fight Capital of the World in Alvarez's absence.
But there is a lack of buzz relative to other Cinco de Mayo headliners, as the attention on Inoue has, so far, failed to transfer across the Pacific Ocean from where it is most palpable.
At "Canelo" events, media and fans gather in the thousands at the Toshiba Plaza for external weigh-ins free for the public to attend and get a glimpse of their Mexican idol. Pickups rev their engines up and down the Las Vegas strip, with the Bandera de Mexico flapping in the breeze, well into the night.
By contrast, we've yet to see any fan fever for Inoue, despite his pound-for-pound status.
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There could be numerous reasons for this. He has not fought in the U.S. since a third-round knockout win over Michael Dasmarinas in 2021. Cardenas is not a big enough name stateside to warrant significant attention. And the fight is on a Sunday.
Japan's Naoya Inoue is one of the best talents in the boxing world. So where's the excitement stateside? (PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)
(PHILIP FONG via Getty Images)
Boxing, additionally, may have been spread to thin across a three-day weekend, with Rolly Romero defeating Ryan Garcia on Friday, and "Canelo" fighting Scull on Saturday, before broadcasters have Inoue following his compatriot Shohei Ohtani's trip to Atlanta Braves for an MLB match with his Los Angeles Dodgers.
To generate more interest in his trips to the States, Inoue could easily make himself more visible.
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At the Grand Arrivals earlier this week, he was the only athlete competing on Sunday's show who didn't bother working out in the ring at the MGM Grand. There has also been limited media time with him. We managed to ask one question, through his translator, about how frequently fight fans in America will get to see him.
'The schedule is pretty much full for the rest of the year,' Inoue told Uncrowned.
He confirmed he'll return to Tokyo to fight Murodjon Akhmadaliev on Sept. 14, providing he successfully defends his super bantamweight world championship titles against Cardenas on ESPN+.
Inoue also told us that 'spring, or the latter part of [2026]' seemed like an ideal time to fight once again in America.
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Uncrowned heard from multiple sources Friday that those close to Inoue shut down a question behind the scenes from other media earlier this week about a prospective matchup against Gervonta "Tank" Davis.
A fight against Gervonta Davis could be the big matchup Naoya Inoue needs to make a mark stateside. ()
(Al Bello via Getty Images)
The difference in weight between the 122-pound Inoue and the lightweight (135 pounds) fighter Davis made it a matchup that was once easy to brush off.
But considering the ways in which popular fighters like Jake Paul, Chris Eubank and Conor Benn manage to make transcendent bouts happen in the modern era, despite weight gaps, there is a way to make these types of fights happen.
History also suggests it's possible.
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Insiders feared for Manny Pacquiao's health when the Filipino fighter, then a super featherweight, who had only fought once at lightweight, happily challenged Oscar de la Hoya at welterweight in 2008. "PacMan" battered de la Hoya, forced an eighth-round retirement, and went on to become one of the most reliable ticket-sellers Las Vegas had ever seen.
If Inoue wants that, then there's one obvious opponent — and he's one of boxing's most devastating finishers, with wins over Jose Pedraza, Mario Barrios, Romero, Garcia and Frank Martin.
"Tank" Davis and Inoue are both the same height at 5-foot-5. Inoue has spoken about moving to the 126-pound division. Davis weighed 133.75 pounds for his latest bout, a majority draw he shared with Lamont Roach, whom he is rumored to rematch in the summer. The weight gap between them is narrowing.
If Inoue wants to become a foreign superstar known to casual audiences in America, like Pacquiao, then taking out one of the country's legitimate box-office draws is a clear route to the top. Outside of Inoue vs. Davis, Roach — a former champion at 130 pounds — could be a hit. Inoue's U.S. promoter, Top Rank, could also continue to build Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington as a future American hope.
Until then, attention to "The Monster" here in the U.S. may remain relatively muted compared to his appeal in Japan, despite his pedigree as one of the world's best boxers.
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