The Naoya Inoue next fight news has arrived, and the reigning, undisputed super bantamweight champion will return to the ring on December 27. But who will he take on next?
Who will Naoya Inoue’s next fight be against?
Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) delivered a masterclass performance against the hard-hitting Murodjon Akhmadaliev on Sunday at the IG arena in Nagoya, Japan. His speed and combinations overwhelmed the challenger, who offered little offense in return. “MJ” struggled to showcase his power, as Inoue used his footwork to evade any damage.
The defending champion landed 141 total punches, more than double, of Akhmadaliev’s 62 total, according to Combubox stats. Two judges scored the fight 118-110, while another had it 117-111, all in favor of Inoue, as he retained the 122-pound undisputed championship by unanimous decision win.
Now, Inoue will make his sixth defense of the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and WBO super bantamweight titles against WBC mandatory challenger, David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs). Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger revealed the news last week, during a segment of Inside the Ring.
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs. David Picasso on December 27
- Inoue vs. Picasso will headline a Riyadh Season card on December 27
- The championship bout will take place at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- The card will air live on DAZN
Naoya Inoue vs. David Picasso preview
“The Monster’s” streak of 11 consecutive stoppage wins, which dates back to October 2020, reached its end against Akhmadaliev. However, Inoue dominated nonetheless, in his first victory on the judges’ scorecards since November 2019. He will look to keep his undefeated record intact against Picasso, with a mega fight looming for 2026.
122-pound supremacy: Inoue’s skills inside the ring remain as sharp as they’ve ever been, with no signs of slowing down. Following his super bantamweight debut in July 2023, the native of Zama, Japan has steamrolled through the division. He’ll take on another top contender in Picasso, who is ranked No. 6 at 122 pounds on ESPN’s divisional rankings.
Can Picasso play spoiler?: The undefeated Picasso has built a reputation for slugging it out with his opponents, and isn’t afraid to trade punches behind his press forward style. He is coming off a majority decision win in his last outing against Kyonosuke Kameda in July. Inoue is sure to welcome the battle, as his speed and power have proven to stand on a different level.
The bottom line: With a victory over Picasso, a showdown against another top pound-for-pound fighter and countryman in Junto Nakatani will follow next year. As the kingpin at super bantamweight, Inoue will seek another dominant outing to reaffirm his status atop the division.
What makes Naoya Inoue so popular?
In Naoya Inoue’s nearly 13-year professional career, he captured world championships in four weight classes. Light flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight, and super bantamweight. He is one of only three male boxers to become undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era (super bantamweight, bantamweight).
Let’s look at some other key accolades “The Monster” has achieved during his impressive career.
- Naoya Inoue record: 31-0 (27 knockouts)
- In 31 professional fights, Inoue has yet to taste defeat.
- He made his professional debut at age 19 in 2012, winning his first fight by fourth-round knockout.
- Only four of his 31 fights have gone to the scorecards.
- He is the first and only boxer to win the undisputed championship at super bantamweight.
- In his five defenses of the undisputed super bantamweight championship, he holds victories over Luis Nery, TJ Doheny, Kim Ye-joon, Ramon Cardenas, and Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
- Ranked number three on ESPN’s men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Naoya Inoue net worth
The measure of a fighter’s success is the dollars and cents they stack up from a career in combat sports. Naoya Inoue’s net worth is estimated to be around $7 million.
