Which of those victories stand out as the most important? We take a look at his top five in no particular order.
STEPHEN FULTON, 25.7.23, Ariake Arena, Tokyo – TKO8
Inoue made a dream 122lb debut when he took out the previously undefeated Steph Fulton in the eighth round of their showdown in Tokyo. The slick American, a career super-bantam, had been tipped to ask Inoue some new questions but the Japanese had answers for every single one.
Make no mistake, Inoue was not only attempting to win world titles in a fourth weight class, but he was doing so against the putative No.1 in the division. But, after this beatdown, there was a new king.
OMAR NARVAEZ, 30.12.14, Metropolitan Gym, Tokyo – KO2
Given what he has gone on to do up at higher weights, this 2014 victory over Omar Narvaez is sometimes overlooked. The Argentinean southpaw had been the WBO super-flyweight world champion for over four years, racking up 11 defences in the process, making him one of the more dominant champions of the time.
But that mattered little to Inoue, who was jumping up from his position at WBC light-flyweight champion to challenge at 115lbs. The then-21-year-old dropped Narvaez twice in the first and twice in the second before the fight was stopped as the second was ending.
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ, 18.5.19, SSE Hydro, Glasgow – KO2
Inoue in Glasgow has become a real ‘I was there’ moment for many boxing fans and the visitor from Tokyo ensured his only appearance in Scotland ended in another explosive knockout. This victory over the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican came after 1:19 of the second round and ensured he became world champion in a third weight class in what was his third outing at bantamweight.
The reason it took place in Scotland is because Josh Taylor headlined against Ivan Baranchyk that night, in the World Boxing Super Series semi-finals. Having beaten Rodriguez in the semis, Inoue then outpointed Nonito Donaire in the final six months later.
NONITO DONAIRE, 7.6.22, Super Arena, Saitama – TKO2
At the time of writing, that points win over Donaire in the WBSS final was the first and only time Inoue had gone the distance in almost nine years, a run stretching way back to a 12-round decision against David Carmona in 2016. But Inoue would not be denied a stoppage when he and Donaire met for a rematch in 2022, which this time lasted just four minutes and 24 seconds.
The Filipino legend went down heavily from a hard right hand with seconds left of the first round but was saved by the bell. But Inoue was straight back to work in the second, hurting Inoue throughout the first minute of the round before a vicious left hook ended the contest.
LUIS NERY, 6.5.24, Tokyo Dome, TKO6
Inoue had already unified the super-bantamweight division by virtue of a 10th round knockout win over Marlon Tapales, which only just missed out on a place on this list. But his first defence of that undisputed title came against 35-1 Mexican Luis Nery and was the first boxing event to take place at the Tokyo Dome since Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in 1990.
This victory also showed Inoue’s powers of recovery as he climbed up from the first knockdown of his career – in the very first round – before thrilling the 50,000-strong crowd with a devastating right-hook knockout in the sixth.
