Promoter Eddie Hearn has named Naoya Inoue to fight his WBA No. 1 contender, Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs), following his third-round knockout victory over Ricardo Espinoza (30-5, 25 KOs) on Saturday evening at the Salle. des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
(Credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing)
Hearn is trying to shame Inoue, 31, and his team into making the fight with Akhamadaliev, but this is not effective. Inoue has been immune to public pressure his entire career, ignoring their pleas for him to fight better opposition.
He crossed 12 years feast on tomato sauceswinning three world division titles against flawed fighters. He won’t react to being embarrassed by Hearn fighting Akhmadaliev and probably getting knocked out the same way Ricardo Espinoza was tonight.
Akhmadaliev took Espinoza down three times in the third round to get a stoppage at 2:59. After the fight, Akhmadaliev challenged the undisputed super-bantamweight champion Inoue to face them next after his next title defense against #1 IBF and #1 WBO Sam Goodman on January 24th.
Will Inoue be on vacation?
Hearn said he thinks Team Inoue will “avoid” Akhmadaliev. If he doesn’t fight, expect Naoya to drop his WBA title. He can indeed do so because he is expected to move to 126 immediately after his fight against Goodman (19-0, 9 KOs) on January 24 and Junto Nakatani.
The Risk Averse Champion
Akhmadaliev has almost no chance to get into a fight with Noue because he is too talented, and the Japanese star has become. risk averse. Inoue never fought anyone well during his 12-year career. So you can say that he was never a risk taker.
“I’m ready. Let’s go, Naoya. Why are you kidding me? If he doesn’t want to fight me, he needs to explain because when I was a champion, I followed the rules and he has to follow the rules too,” said Murodjon Akmadaliev during a i .ninterview following his knockout of Ricardo Espinoza on Saturday night, calling out undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
“I had obligation. I fought them without any discussion. So, I need an explanation because I am here and ready for the fight. The best must be fighting the best. I am obligated, and (WBA) interim champion. He (Inoue) must prove that he is the best in his division. He should try, too,” said Akhmadaliev about Naoya Inoue.
I don’t think there is anything Akhmadaliev and Hearn can do to force Naoya to fight him. He will make his rescheduled title defense against lightweight Sam Goodman next January 24 and will likely fight Junto Nakatania after that. He’s another beatable guy.
Naoya’s Avoidance Tactics
“We sent him the fight. He wasn’t called once. He was called twice by the WBA,” said promoter Eddie Hearn about a fight that was ordered twice for his fighter Akhmadaliev. “The first time, they paid for an exception to duck MJ.
“The second round was iron in writing. They had to fight. They found a way to avoid him (Akhmadaliev) again. Naoya Inoue is a pound-for-pound legend. We respect him. He’s an incredible fighter. There’s one thing he doesn’t It has no Uzbek power.
“I’m telling you. There’s only one fighter in the (super bantamweight) division who can compete with him, let alone beat him, and that’s MJ. I’m telling you now, and you’ve got this. This guy (Akhmadaliev) will beat Naoya Inoue.
“He has all the skills, all the ability and the pedigree. I fully believe he will beat him. We will do it in Japan. They should have fought for the uncontested championship. We (Akhmadaliev) lost a decision that we did not believe that we deserved to lose (against Marlon Tapales by a 12-round split decision on April 8, 2023),” Hearn said of the controversial decision loss to Akhmadaliev at Tapales last year.
That was a raw deal that Akhmadaliev was given, losing to Tapales by 12-round decision last year in April 2023. It’s too bad that there was never a rematch because there should have been.
“Twice, (Naoya) was called to fight. He’s the only fighter in the division, and there are people who say, ‘Oh no, Naoya doesn’t duck anybody.’ Maybe Inoue isn’t, but his team, because everyone in boxing knows how good he is (Akhmadaliev).
“Uzbek Power”
“Let the best fight the best. It’s the only fight in the division. It’s one of the best fights in the sport. I’ll tell you that. I’ll put the house on it. This guy beat Naoya Inoue. I’ll tell you another thing. I’ll bet they never fought with (Sam) Goodman.
“He’s going to be vacant or fight. I’m going to avoid him. If they do, don’t start calling him pound-for-pound #1 because this guy is going to beat him. Uzbek power, hang your house on it,” Hearn said.
Naoya will drop his four titles at 122, but he will do without fighting Akhmadaliev because he is a threat to beat him. He is careful and always has been.
