Naoya Inoue Will Face Luis Nery On May 6
Naoya Inoue will defend his Undisputed Super Bantamweight Title against Luis Nery on May 6 at Tokyo Dome in Japan.
Inoue will make the first defense of his Undisputed Super Bantamweight Title after beating Marlon Tapales. The victory made him undisputed in a second weight class in the four-belt era alongside Terence Crawford. The Japanese made it clear that he would be staying in the weight class after suggestions he could move up from 126 pounds.
“I wish to unify all the four world title belts within this year (against WBA and IBF titleholder Marlon Tapales). It may take three years to have myself physically adjust to the 122-pound weight class, and then I may move up to the featherweight division. After taking a rest for a week, I wish to return to gym work,” Inoue stated
As for Nery, he is the current WBC Interim Champion. His record is impressive, with only one defeat in his 36 fights, which includes 35 wins. Out of those victories, he has 27 knockouts. The boxer had been banned from fighting in the country after having missed weight against Shinsuke Yamanaka in 2018. That followed after he had tested positive for Zilpaterol the year before. The Japanese Boxing Commission has overturned the ban, allowing the fight to happen.
Inoue’s Return
“Naoya Inoue is the world’s best fighter, a young man who amazes me whenever he enters the ring. Luis Nery is a tough challenger, but I fully expect Inoue to get the job done in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome. In addition to this incredible main event, we have a spectacular undercard highlighted by Jason Moloney, a road warrior coming to Japan determined to show he’s the world’s best bantamweight,” Inoue stated
Elsewhere on the card, Jason Moloney and Takuma Inoue will face off in a WBO Bantamweight Title clash. Moloney retained his title, beating Saul Sanchez on January 13 via a majority decision. In addition, Seigo Yuri Akui defends his WBA Flyweight Title against Taku Kuwahara. Akui beat Artem Dalakian in his last bout to win the belt. This time around, he will face Kuwahara in a rematch after having won their only bout in 2021.
Moloney’s Defense
“I’ve always wanted to fight in Japan, and to do it on this huge show in front of a sold-out crowd at the Tokyo Dome is what dreams are made of. I want to be known as a throwback world champion. I won my title in America, defended it in Canada, and now I’m willing to go into enemy territory and defend my title in Japan against the undefeated Yoshiki Takei. [And] I know the Japanese fans will enjoy this fight, and I look forward to making some new fans in Japan and all over the world. On May 6, I will show the world what the ‘Mayhem Era’ is all about,” Moloney revealed
A win for Inoue will further strengthen claims that he is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. And with Crawford’s next opponent unclear, Inoue can set himself apart with another impressive performance.
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