South Korea’s Kim Ye-joon (R) and Japan’s Naoya Inoue (L) pose through the official weigh-in forward of their world super-bantamweight title boxing bout in Yokohama on January 23, 2025. (Picture by Philip FONG / AFP)
Japan’s unbeaten Naoya Inoue mentioned Wednesday he needs to put down a marker in his world title bout in opposition to South Korean rank-outsider Kim Ye-joon earlier than taking his prodigious abilities to Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia later this yr.
Undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Inoue defends his titles in Tokyo on Friday in opposition to Kim, who stepped in simply two weeks earlier than the combat to switch the injured Australian Sam Goodman.
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Inoue signed a sponsorship take care of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season final yr and is predicted to combat in Las Vegas in April, with a possible bout in Saudi Arabia later within the yr.
Inoue, nicknamed “Monster”, is aware of that he should beat Kim first to make a splash exterior of Japan.
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“This yr I’ll have fights within the US after which Saudi Arabia so this combat in two days’ time is essential for me,” mentioned Inoue, who has a 28-0 document with 25 knockouts.
“I hope that my contract with Riyadh will speed up my boxing profession. Even when my opponent modifications, what I must do doesn’t change. I simply must get a outcome.”
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The 31-year-old Inoue has not fought exterior Japan since he beat Michael Dasmarinas in Las Vegas in June 2021.
Promoter Bob Arum mentioned discussions had been underneath manner for Inoue to combat at “a giant venue in Las Vegas” this yr.
“Naoya is the face of boxing, so when you may convey the face of boxing to your nation, it’s a giant, huge factor,” mentioned Arum.
“All people in the US, everybody who’s desirous about boxing, is desirous about Inoue coming to the US to combat.”
Japan’s Naoya Inoue poses through the official weigh-in forward of his world super-bantamweight title boxing bout in opposition to South Korea’s Kim Ye-joon in Yokohama on January 23, 2025. (Picture by Philip FONG / AFP)
Inoue was initially scheduled to face Goodman in Tokyo on December 24 however the combat was postponed when the Australian suffered a minimize above his eye in coaching.
Goodman then pulled out once more with a recurrence of the harm and Kim was introduced in as a last-minute substitute.
Inoue mentioned the disruptions had not affected his focus.
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“Perhaps some boxers can’t correctly take care of their opponent altering on the final minute, however for me, whoever I’m going through I do know I’ve a variety of abilities.”
The 32-year-old Kim has a 21-2-2 document with 13 knockouts and is ranked No. 11 by the WBO within the super-bantamweight division.
He has the possibility to change into South Korea’s first world champion in over 15 years.
“It’s an honour for any boxer to face Inoue, and it’s an ideal probability for me,” mentioned Kim, who grew up in an orphanage and didn’t take up boxing till he was 20.
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“I positively gained’t make it straightforward for him and I wish to present what I’m fabricated from till the top.”