Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) was once again undisputed with a Victory by knockout in the tenth round over Marlon Tapales (37-4, 19 KOs) on December 26. Attention now turns to possible future opponents.
“I think super bantamweight is my weight division for now,” said the “Monster” through a post-fight interpreter. “So in 2024, I would like to show you myself as a super bantamweight in even stronger shape.”
“I think a lot of people already know the rumor of the fight taking place in May,” Inoue said. “But I can’t say much about this yet because we are in negotiations…”
Inoue He may not be able to reveal his next opponent, but speculation has been rife about who it could be. Big Fight Weekend takes a look at the two fighters most likely to face the Japanese KO artist in their next contest.
Who will Naoya Inoue face next?
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Luis Nery
The most likely opponent at this stage appears to be the former two-division world champion. Luis Nery (35-1, 27 KO). The Tijuana native stopped Azat Hovhannisyan in round 11 in a brutal one back in February of this year. In addition, Nery also holds a mandatory position in the WBC.
There is only one problem with a possible clash against Inoue: Nery is suspended by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) to ever fight in the country. If a fight between Inoue and Nery was agreed upon, it would have to take place outside of Japan. Either that or the JBC reverses its decision.
Sam Goodman
Fighting from Australia, Sam Goodman (17-0, 7 KOs) has risen in the rankings in recent years. In 2023 alone, he fought four times. Among the opponents he defeated were a former world champion, a former world title challenger and two undefeated contenders.
Goodman is ranked number one in the WBO and IBF. He will soon have the obligatory opportunity to get a world title. Unlike a potential clash with Nery, a fight with the Australian would seemingly be easy to agree to.
