TWO-DIVISION undisputed champion Naoya Inoue has come to terms with the reality that, eventually, his body will compel him to hang up the gloves.
The 32-year-old is by no means planning to end his thrilling career just yet, as several more nights of action still await the bona fide super-bantamweight king.
But while, at this moment in time, the explosive puncher remains at the peak of his powers, his retirement could nonetheless arrive sooner than expected.
‘The Monster’ comes off an eighth-round stoppage victory over Ramon Cardenas earlier this month, surviving an early knockdown before finding a typically destructive finish.
Thankfully for fans, Inoue, 30-0 (28 KOs), is one of the more active elite-level operators, promising to deliver four fights this year before entering 2026 with his pound-for-pound status firmly intact.
His third outing of 2025 – with a four-round demolition job against Ye Joon Kim arriving last January – will be against WBA interim champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
The pair are expected to collide in an intriguing matchup this September, with Inoue returning to Tokyo, Japan, to defend his four major titles at 122lbs.
After that, the Japanese star is then set to headline a card this December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, teasing a possible move up to featherweight.
WBA titlist Nick Ball has been highlighted as a possible opponent, presenting Inoue with the opportunity to become a five-division world champion.
But equally, an all-Japanese dustup with WBC world bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani remains an appealing prospect, perhaps representing a potential matchup next year.
In any case, though, Inoue has insisted that, by the end of 2027, he is likely to sail off into the sunset.
“I want to close my fighting career when the time is right,” he told The Ring. “I think I have about three years left, including this year.
“I don’t feel any decline in my physical strength or performance yet, but I’m sure that someday that day will come.
“I have to plan my training and fights with that in mind. As a human being, I’m sure I will inevitably decline. So I think it’s important to prepare and to know myself.”
