Naoya Inoue on fight with Stephen Fulton Jr.: ‘I’m pushing my limits’
We’re witnessing arguably the second greatest Asian boxer in history, after Manny Pacquiao.
Naoya Inoue has lived up to his nickname, “The Monster,” employing a frightening combination of skill, speed and crushing punching power to destroy everyone placed in his path over the past decade.
In the process, he has collected major titles in three divisions. And he’s shooting for a fourth on Saturday in Tokyo, where he is scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton (ESPN+).
Boxing Junkie ranks him below only Terence Crawford on our pound-for-pound list but some outlets rank Inoue No. 1, a coveted spot that leaves no doubt about his all-around ability.
Promoter Lou DiBella put it well when he told ESPN: “He has no weaknesses.”
Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) might be vulnerable in one regard in his next challenge: size.
The 30-year-old from Yokohama, who started his career as a 108-pounder more than a decade ago, will be challenging 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton on Tuesday night (early morning hours in the U.S.) at Ariake Arena in Tokyo (ESPN+).
In fact, Inoue will be making his debut at the weight. Fulton has fought at 122 or slightly above his entire career.
Inoue is a 3-1 favorite because most observers believe he’s a better all-around fighter than Fulton, including far superior punching power. However, the champion’s natural size advantage could be an equalizer.
“I’m pushing the boundaries of my build, my limits,” Inoue said through a translator on ESPN’s “Camp Life.” “I really don’t know what kind of fight this is going to be. I’m just going to do everything I can to win.
“If I get the chance I’ll go for a knockout and if it doesn’t go that way, I’ll just focus on keeping my boxing solid to get that win.”
Plus, while Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) is known primarily as a technician, but he’s not afraid to stand toe-to-toe and has proved to be durable.
For example, the 29-year-old from Philadelphia emerged relatively unscathed after winning a war with one of the most-bruising fighters in the world pound-for-pound, Brandon Figueroa, to unify two 122-pound titles in November 2021.
“Inoue’s coming up from 118, he’s never been in the ring with a guy as big as Fulton, or as strong,” analyst and Hall of Famer Tim Bradley told FightHype.com.
“Fulton has been at this weight class his entire career and he’s been in there with some big guys and one in particular is Figueroa, and he was able to handle him and beat him in the trenches.”
And, again, while most believe Inoue is better than Fulton, there isn’t a wide gap in terms of skills.
Fulton is an excellent boxer, as he proved most recently by nearly shutting out polished technician Daniel Roman in defense of his titles in June of last year.
If Fulton can take Inoue’s power and is at his best, it’s not inconceivable that he could outbox the Japanese star and claim what would be a life-changing victory.
Some have compared this fight to the 2015 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao super fight, likening Fulton to Mayweather and Inoue to Pacquiao. Mayweather won a clear decision.
“I would never compare myself to Floyd Mayweather or anything like that,” Fulton told Yahoo! Sports. “I’m my own guy, my own fighter, and I have my own style.
“I’m smiling because a couple of people said that to me since I’ve been here, and I’ve gotten a couple of calls with the person saying I remind them of Floyd. … One of my previous opponents, Danny Romano, said the same thing when he was analyzing this fight.
“But yes, I do see myself as a great defensive fighter when I want to be, and I said that because I can really do anything I want to do in the ring. I can do any style.”
If Fulton has what it takes to deliver an upset, he’ll instantaneously become one of the biggest stars in the sport.
If Inoue comes out on top, it will simply add to his already formidable legacy. It would be difficult for him to surpass Pacquiao in popularity but the more he wins, the more his own legend grows.
