Home Boxing News Naoya Inoue more advanced than Manny Pacquiao at this stage of his...

Naoya Inoue more advanced than Manny Pacquiao at this stage of his career, says Bob Arum

Naoya Inoue. Photo credit: Naoki Fukuda

Undefeated WBA and IBF bantamweight champion Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue 20-0 (17) will box in front of a live crowd for the first time in more than 18 months when he faces IBF mandatory contender Michael ‘Hot and Spicy’ Dasmirinas 30-2-1 (20) at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

“I haven’t fought in front of a crowd since the Nonito Donaire fight [on November 7, 2019], so I am excited about that and excited to put on a show,” the 28-year-old Japanese superstar told Yahoo Sports.

Filipino southpaw Dasmirinas, 28, looks to be a showcase opponent for Inoue, who is looking to build his brand stateside.

Promoter Bob Arum has been down this path before. The Top Rank boss was instrumental in progressing the career of Manny Pacquiao in the United States and believes Inoue is closer to the finished product than the Filipino superstar was when he landed in Las Vegas in 2001.

“No question. No question about that at all,” Arum said to Yahoo Sports. “Manny obviously developed working with [trainer] Freddie [Roach] into one of the greatest champions ever.

“I don’t know if Naoya is going to get there, because how many do that, but he has incredible talent and it’s not even a question to say he’s ahead of where Manny was [in 2001].”

Inoue shot to fame by winning the second season of the World Boxing Super Series. In the final he defeated multi-weight world champion Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire 41-6 (27) in The Ring magazine’s Fight of the Year for 2019.

Inoue fought once last year, a seventh-round stoppage of tough Australian Jason ‘Mayhem’ Moloney 21-2 (18) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in October.

Arum sees Inoue as one of the few blue-chip talents in the sport.

“He’s to me one of the brightest stars there is because he boxes beautifully and he has that devastating power to knock somebody out like that,” the 89-year-old veteran promoter said.

Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler says Inoue has the type of power that can make him a crossover star despite his limited English and fighting in the lighter weight classes.

“You think of the greatest punchers and a guy like Earnie Shavers, he wanted to hurt you,” Trampler said to Yahoo Sports. “They have that puncher’s mentality. [Mike] Tyson had it; he wanted to hurt you. Inoue wants to hurt you. He wants to rip you up downstairs and then when your hands come down and your chin is exposed, he goes upstairs. He gets it.

“It’s not something that I think can be taught. I wouldn’t say he’s a natural body puncher, because nobody is, but he’s an instinctive body puncher. That’s what makes him so good and you don’t see that much anymore.”

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