Naoya Inoue continues to discover brand-new methods to win.

It was an injury blockage this time around, as he required TJ Doheny to yield early in the seventh round. A mix required Doheny’s leg to offer as he hopped away in discomfort. Referee Bence Kovacs waved off the contest at 0:28 of the seventh round Tuesday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Inoue (27-0, 24 knockouts) kept his RING and indisputable 122-pound champion with the win in their ESPN+ centerpiece.

There was substantially less drama than in Inoue’s previous defense on May 6 at the Tokyo Dome. He was required to make it through the very first knockdown of his profession when he was decked by Luis Nery in the opening round. Inoue had the ability to get it back in blood, as he floored Nery 3 times en path to a sixth-round knockout.

Nothing near the danger of a repeat emerged in this battle. Action was sluggish out eviction. Both fighters pawed with their jab in the preliminary. Inoue continuously tapped the ideal glove of Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs) with his left. Neither fighter landed anything of effect in the feel-’em out round.

Inoue started to get the speed in the 2nd. Doheny was on the protective however it showed efficient as Inoue was not free-flowing with his mixes. The protecting champ utilized consistent motion to never ever permit his southpaw opposition to establish his offense.

Doheny delighted in success with his straight left hand in the 3rd, his finest of the battle to that point. Inoue was still sluggish moving, relative to the series of explosive efficiencies he has actually provided through 4 weight departments. Doheny searched for chances while they were still there throughout those minutes.

Whatever momentum was delighted in by Doheny rapidly moved back to Inoue in a strong 4th round. Doheny declined to play the function of a +2000 underdog (Inoue was an -6500 preferred getting in the battle). The previous IBF 122-pound titlist rode out Inoue’s rises and discovered a home for his left hand both upstairs and to the body. Inoue’s directly ideal to the body pressed Doheny to the ropes.

A competitive 5th round triggered Inoue to call up the pressure in the 6th. The swing shown to be the start of completion. Doheny’s increased face continued to redden though he never ever came close to touching the canvas. Inoue went on the attack and had Doheny injured on a variety of celebrations, nevertheless.

The seventh round opened with Inoue getting where he ended in the preceding frame. A right-hand man was followed by a mix, consisting of a left hook to the body that triggered Doheny’s ideal leg to twist. He instantly turned away and signified to the ref his unanticipated injury before he took a knee. The battle was instantly waved off at that point.

However anticlimactic, it still decreases as a win for Inoue, who is now 21-0 in real title battles covering 4 weight departments. He likewise declared 2 first-round knockouts in his quick stay as a secondary WBA bantamweight titlist.

The blockage was his ninth in a row, consisting of an ideal 4-0 (4 KOs) at 122.

Perhaps more interesting are his future strategies.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum validated the currently hypothesized news of a 3rd battle on the year for Inoue. Should the date hold, it will mark Inoue’s most active project considering that 2017.

An challenger wasn’t validated, though Australia’s Sam Goodman recommended he will land the task as the IBF obligatory opposition. Inoue was formerly purchased to honor his WBA obligatory title defense versus Murodjon Akhmadaliev. However, it didn’t stop his group from handpicking Doheny as a challenger.

With a win in December, the strategy is to then bring Inoue back to the U.S.—though he didn’t define in what capability.

“I understand he’ll be coming back here… at the end of the year,” stated Arum. “And then we’re taking him to the United States for a big celebration in Las Vegas.”

Inoue has actually battled 7 straight times in Japan after a two-fight stint in Vegas throughout the pandemic.

The win on Tuesday saw Inoue end up being simply the 3rd male fighter to make a minimum of 2 effective defenses of the indisputable champion in the four-belt period. Inoue signed up with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Devin Haney on that list. He formerly held the Ring and indisputable bantamweight champion. Inoue ended up being the very first completely merged 118-pound champ in more than 50 years after his Dec. 2022 knockout win over Paul Butler.

From there came his title blitz in 2023. He knocked out merged titlists Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales to win all 4 belts in a two-fight period. The task saw him sign up with Claressa Shields, Terence Crawford and Katie Taylor as the only two-division, four-belt indisputable champs. Inoue was likewise honored by The Ring and almost every other publication as the 2023 Fighter of the Year.

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