Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue 26-0 (23) of Japan has hit back at claims from retired former boxer turned analyst Shawn Porter that he needs to fight in America if he truly wants to be a boxing superstar.
The 31-year-old Inoue, who is a four-weight world champion and has unified the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF belts at both 118- and 122-pounds, has the type of resume that the vast majority of boxers can only dream of.
A world champion at just 21 when he dethroned Adrian Hernandez for the WBC junior flyweight belt a decade ago, Inoue has gone from strength to strength as he has ascended the weight classes.
In 2014 he jumped up two divisions to super flyweight where he annexed the WBO strap from long-reigning champion Omar Narvaez by second round knockout before making seven successful title defences.
The move to bantamweight came in 2018 where he remained for almost five years, collecting all major world titles at the weight.
Last year he made his super bantamweight debut, taking on skilled American Stephen Fulton for his WBC and WBO world titles in July. The 29-year-old Fulton was expected to present a stern test to Inoue, but he was stopped in eight frames while trailling on the cards.
WBA and IBF champion Marlon Tapales didn’t fair much better as he was widely outclassed before being knocked out in the 10th.
Inoue is now in camp for his world title defence against Mexico’s Luis Nery at the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome on May 6 in what is expected to be a sellout.
A successful career to date by any measure. But despite Inoue’s various accolades, it seems it’s not enough to Porter.
“We really don’t know what Inoue’s goals are – to be the next star in boxing?” Porter wondered out loud on ProBox TV’s ‘Deep Waters’ program. “In boxing, you’ve got to come to the US, you’ve got to cross those seas and knock down some Americans to make these other Americans [fans] take notice of what you’re doing.”
Current Ring Magazine champion Inoue has already boxed three times in the US, earning knockout victories in world title bouts over Antonio Nieves in 2017, Jason Moloney in 2020 and Michael Dasmarinas in 2021.
The only American boxers ranked in the top 10 by the esteemed Ring Magazine at super bantamweight are Fulton at number two, Ra-eese Aleem at number six, Elijah Pierce at number eight and Ramon Cardenas at number 10.
There is little to no public appetite to see Inoue take on any of these boxers.
“There’s a lot of people who respect Inoue and what he’s doing,” Porter continued. “But if you’re someone like me, you’re saying, ‘hey, let’s get him out of his own backyard, get him a little uncomfortable and see how he handles the energy when he’s not at home’.”
The Ring’s number two ranked pound-for-pound boxer in the world issued a defiant response on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“In response to the comment saying he should come to America and play a match?” Inoue posted.
“The home of the lightweight division is now here in Japan. If you want to see the game, come to Japan. If there is something better than what is available in the Japanese market in America, I would be happy to go. That’s all worth it here in Japan.”
Porter did receive some support online for his comments.
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, wrote on X: “Shawn I know exactly where you’re coming from, the young man is def a rock star in Japan and he’s generating enormous revenue but outside of the diehards he’s relatively unknown in the U.S. where we actually live. I get it!”
