Philippines, 02 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Shall We See The Same Monster Inoue Again?


PhilBoxing.com





After going to hell and back in that fight of the year with Nonito Donaire recently, shall we see the same Monster Naoya Inoue again?

Boxing history is replete with cases of fighters toting killer images and credentials who went into crucial defining physical and brutal battles as decided favorites and though emerging winners, were never the same fighters that they were before, mostly for the worse.

Smokin Joe Frazier in his first fight against the comebacking and already aging Muhammad Ali in March 1971, though he won by decision to retain the heavyweight title, he was so physically damaged that he spent the night in a hospital and so psychologically drained he did not fight for the rest of that year. The following year, George Foreman knocked him down six times to force a stoppage and wrest his heavyweight crown.

Another is Hector 'Macho' Camacho who was a whirlwind dervish when he devastated the ranks in the 130 lbs class and even when he moved up to 135 lbs until he ran smack into fellow boricua Edwin 'El Chapo' Rosario against whom he survived a knockdown and many scary moments to win on points. But he was never the same Macho Man again. The effect was as much as physical as psychological.

Yet another is boricua knockout sensation Wilfredo Gomez who laid to waste many Mexican legendary bantams as Alfonso Zamora and Carlos Zarate until he ran into the nail tough Guadalupe Pintor who forced him into a war of attrition in their fight which he eventually won by 14th round stoppage. He was never the same Dinamita again as Salvador Sanchez showed in brutally stopping him in his next bout.


Though he eventually won the fight, Naoya Inoue was badly punished by Nonito Donaire during the WBSS final and IBF/WBA bantanweight unification bout in Saitama, Japan last week.

After 12 highly physical rounds with Donaire, Inoue was found to have suffered orbital bone fracture in his right eye and a broken nose.

It was a credit to his courage that he not only survived but overcame those injuries even waging a strong comeback to score a crucial knockdown and win by unanimous decision.

It was undeniably a character defining fight and win for the Japanese in his less 20 fights.

His corner should be commended too for preventing those injuries from getting any worse. What wonder of sports science and medicine did they apply in tidying a bloodied and bruised Inoue after every round such that those injuries were not even apparent at the end of the fight?

The effects and scars of physical injuries could be masked and Inoue could well recover from those in time. But what about the psychological scars and effects of that hell of a fight he went through against Donaire?

And what the pressure of being now hailed as among the premier elite fighters in the world and possibly billed as the top pound for pound fighter on the planet will have on the still young and yet to fully mature Naoya?

Having signed up with Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotion, there is also that possibility of Naoya fighting again in the United States.

He has fought in California before but against an Antonio Nieves whom he disposed off in no time. He has also seen action in Glasgow where he destroyed Emmanuel Rodriguez in the WBSS semifinals but both of them were visiting fighters. What will his mindset and comportment be in a real major fight set in the acknowledged world's boxing mecca?

I am very keen to know once Naoya steps up in the ring again.

Against whom, is another question.

One possibility is an IBF title defense against Filipino mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas first before considering another unification against WBC titlist Frenchman Nordine Oubali or WBO ruler Zolani Tete should the rangy South African succeed in his title defense versus another Pinoy, Johnriel Casimero later this month.

And there's the defrocked undefeated WBC kingpin Luis Nery who broke Japanese hold of the premier bantamweight title with two crushing but controversial stoppage wins over the now retired Shinsuke Yamanaka some years back.

But with Oubali decisively beating Naoya's younger brother in the Saitama main support bout to retain his WBC crown, there may be greater demand and pressure to make that fight as soon as possible.

Where and when depends on Naoya and Top Rank.


The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • What If Pacquiao Defeats Barrios?
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Team USA Earns Three Wins on Day Two of World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Women's Boxing Champion Signs with Combate Global, Still Aims For WBC Absolute Gold
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Sanman Boxing Presents Hard-Hitting Prospect Abubakar Yanon Set to Challenge for Philippine Boxing Federation Flyweight Title in Malungon, Sarangani Province
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Boxing Returns to Tropicana Atlantic City, July 25
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 30 June 2025: Zurdo Outpoints Dorticos, Keeps WBA/WBO Cruiser Titles; Mbilli Stops Sulecki in 1; Wins by Kuroki, Wilder and Jake Paul
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • IIEE Titans secured Finals in BPBL, IIEE Chessmasters retain on top level in Bundesliga
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • MARIO BARRIOS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • CATTERALL AND EUBANK LAY THEIR 'CARDS ON THE TABLE' AHEAD OF MANCHESTER SHOWDOWN
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Dumadag holds chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Manny Pacquiao's Case for the Greatest of All Time
    By Ace Freeman, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • DavNor Adventure Race 2025 set July 2
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Gumila rules Antipolo rapid chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • FULL CIRCLE AT WILD CARD: Jhay Otamias’ Tribute to a Fighter and a Fanbase
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Wins by 4th Round KO Over Sarawut Thawornkham to Capture the IBF Pan Pacific Super Flyweight Title
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Team USA's Quest for Gold Set in Stone at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • SBA SEASON 2 DRAFT UNVEILS RISING STARS AND STRATEGIC MOVES AS TEAMS COMPLETE THEIR ROSTERS
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Filipino Elwin Retanal wins Saudi rapid chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Jake Paul Earns Boxing Legitimacy with Dominant Decision Over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Faces Sarawut Thawornkham Today at Venue 88 in Gensan
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • USA Elite High Performance Team Sets Sights on Gold at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri bags silver in blitz
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.