July 16, 2023 Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, who vacated his four world championship belts to move up in weight to the super bantamweight division, said Saturday he has zero anxiety ahead of his showdown with undefeated WBC and WBO champion Stephen Fulton - which takes place on July 25th.
During a media workout at his Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama, Inoue explained that he was in perfect form for the upcoming contest, because being at super bantamweight allows him to pack on four more pounds than he was able to have at the bantamweight limit of 118-pounds.
Inoue cleaned out the bantamweight limit by capturing the WBO, IBF, WBC, WBA titles to become undisputed. Now he's eager to do the same at 122-pounds.
“I have absolutely nothing to be anxious about,” Inoue said. “As the challenger for the first time in a while, I’m as fired up as I’ve ever been.”
Should Inoue overcome Fulton at the Ariake Arena, he would become only the second Japanese boxer to win world titles in four different weight classes. The first boxer to accomplish that feat is Kazuto Ioka, who reached that goal in June of 2019.
Inoue believes the bantamweight division will be the best weight class for his body. “My work is going well,” Inoue said. “I’m handling the preparations. I am thinking super bantam is the best weight for me.” Fulton had his own media workout on Friday, but he wouldn't reveal much to the press - as the Philadelphia boxer would only skip rope and doing some light shadow boxing.
“The gamesmanship has already begun,” said the Ohashi gym’s chairman, Hideyuki Ohashi, said. “I understand how Fulton feels.”
Inoue, despite being the smaller man moving up in weight, is the big betting favorite with the oddsmakers.
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