On Tuesday, Naoya Inoue became the ninth fighter to unify all four major titles in boxing’s four-belt era.
Inoue is now looking to become the only male fighter to accomplish the feat in two weight classes.
“I believe I’m going to aim for it,” Inoue said. “We’ll need to develop a thorough plan.”
The Japanese star will be heading up to 122-pounds, after knocking out British fighter Paul Butler in eleven rounds to unify the IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC world bantamweight titles.
Inoue plans to return on a date in April or May of the coming year.
The world titles at 122-pounds are owned by two undefeated fighters, Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Stephen Fulton of the United States – with each boxer holding two belts.
A super bantamweight title would give Inoue championships in four different weight classes and make him the second Japanese to manage that after Kazuto Ioka did it in 2019.
Hideyuki Ohashi, the chairman of Inoue’s Ohashi Boxing Gym, believes Inoue will still perform like the same destrucive fighter in the new weight class.
“The higher he moves up in weight class, the more his quality stands out,” Ohashi said.
The dangerous puncher, who turns 30-years-old in April, is not looking to stop his title winning rung at 122. He believes that he can max out his body at the featherweight limit of 126-pounds.
“I can go as far as featherweight,” the fighter has said.
Winning championships in five weight divisions would match the accomplishment of the Nonito Donaire, who Inoue idolized. – and ironically Inoue also holds two impressive wins over Donaire.
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