11:49
That’s all folks
And that concludes our live blog as Naoya Inoue avoids the upset to end all upsets by taking out late stand-in Ye Joon Kim in four. Next stop for the Monster, Sin City.
11:47
Vegas baby
After eight straight outings in his native Japan, Naoya Inoue confirms his next fight will be in Las Vegas.
He said: “2025 will be the year for me go overseas to fight. In Spring 2025 I will go to Las Vegas to show you a great fight. I just want to get better each time I get in the ring. I want to fulfill my career until the end. I am pretty sure 2025 will be a big year for me.”
His promoter Bob Arum added: “The great country of Japan will give Inoue to the great city of Las Vegas for one fight this spring.”
Be careful what you wish for…
Replays show Kim literally beckoning Inoue in with both hands a split second before the knockout blow came. There’s definitely a lesson in there somewhere.
IT’S ALL OVER!
With 46 seconds left of the fourth round, Inoue uncorks a textbook one-two which sends Kim down and out. It had been an open round until then, with Kim looking to land with some shots of his own. But that was like a red rag to a bull for the champion who decides the time is right to end this one. He does his best to beat the count but referee Mark Nelson waves it off at an official time of 2:25.
11:32
Turning the screw
This is reasonably solid stuff from the underdog Kim but Inoue is just starting to turn up the heat in the final minute of the third. The body shots, in particular, appear to be having an effect but there has been no knockdown yet. Into the fourth we go.
11:28
Monster warming up
That’s more like it from Inoue in the second as he begins to unsheath the right hand. He is in total control through the round, landing with a few hard shots but Kim shows no sign of crumbling just yet.
11:21
First round done
After national anthems and introductions, the first round begins. It is basically silent in the Ariake Arena as the pair share a deeply uneventful first round. Kim comes out in southpaw and there is a lot of front hand slapping between them, although Inoue does attempt a couple of straight backhands to the body. Kim would take another 11 rounds like that, that’s for sure.
11:12
And here comes Inoue…
There are lasers – and belts – galore as Inoue walks to the ring. He is a 1/50 favourite for this fight and for good reason. There is the prospect of three more fights this year, after agreeing a deal with Riyadh Season, but he needs to come through this one unscathed first.
11:07
Here they come…
After lots of VT showing Inoue chinning people, Jimmy Lennon Jr takes centre stage to introduce the challenger Ye Joon Kim, who wanders out to the dulcet tones of Akon. He’s joined by his training team – so he doesn’t look lonely.
10:56
Upset pending?
It looks very unlikely. Kim only got this chance after Sam Goodman’s cut reopened during training camp and you would have to say this would be one of the biggest upsets in boxing history should he pull off the unthinkable. Inoue is the undisputed super-bantamweight champion, arguably the pound-for-pound No.1 and one of the biggest punchers on the planet.
10:53
Monster time…
That’s the undercard done and dusted, now it’s time for the Monster himself. Naoya Inoue, who is currently emerging from the sea somewhere around Tokyo Bay, is about to take on 21-2-2 late replacement Ye Joon Kim.
10:50
JIN IS HERE!
During his post-fight interview, Sasaki whips out a mobile phone and reads out a message, in English, to the welterweight champions…
“I am Jin Sasaki, I will become the first Japanese welterweight champion,” he roared.
“So all you welterweight world champions, let’s have a fight!ย Boots Ennis, Stanionis, Brian Norman, Mario Barrios, Iโm not going to run away. I am looking to run towards the world title match.
“Jin is here, thank you!”
10:46
JIN SASAKI UD 12
I don’t speak Japanese so have no idea of the actual scorecards, but Jin Sasaki wins a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai. It’s the first time he has gone the full 12 in his career and his first decision win for nearly three years. He will have learned plenty there.
10:43
We go to the scorecards
Both men are still throwing at the final bell and the referee has to jump in to stop it. A superb action fight, where both men had their moments. Will Sasaki be awarded for his relentless aggression? We await the judges’ decision…
10:39
Sakai holding on…
With a little over a minute left in the 11th, Sasaki lands flush with a right hand and Sakai, for the first time. The volume rises in the arena as Sasaki goes in search of a finish, unloading with big hooks with both hands. Somehow, Sakai does not go down and he even ends the round landing punches of his own. For the first time in his career, Sasaki is heading into the 12th round…
10:35
Two left…
More of the same in the 10th, with Sasaki seemingly happy to take a few to land one. In keeping with the rest of the fight, it is almost constant action throughout the round and both men are showing some signs of tiredness. There are two left…
10:30
Sakai slowing?
Although he is still landing throughout, including three uppercuts in a row at one point in round nine, Sakai appears to be slowing slightly and there is less pop on his punches. Sasaki is still throwing with the same intent as he was in round one, but the blood continues to drip from his nose. Into the 10th we go, for only the third time in Sasaki’s career.
10:24
Seven down
Given Sasaki said this week he would knockout Terence Crawford, Jarron Ennis and Errol Spence, this is maybe not the fight that many expected. Sakai continues to give as good as he gets, dominating the jab exchanges, although Sasaki seems to be landing more regularly with hard catch-and-counter left hooks. Can he get a breakthrough with one of them? We are now into the eighth.
10:20
Halfway home
Yet more of those Sasaki left hooks sink into Sakai’s body, but it is the favourite who finishes the round looking worse for wear. Blood is pouring from the nose of the 23-year-old as Sakai continues to land consistently with those uppercuts as his opponent moves forward with his head low. That’s six down and this one is very even.
10:15
More fireworks
Sasaki’s pace looks to have dropped throughout the fifth until the final 30 seconds, when both men decide to press the action resulting in high quality action. Sasaki still looks to be putting everything into every shot he throws but Sakai just will not wilt. Into the sixth we head.
10:11
Four down
Sasaki wises up to the uppercut in round four but starts shipping straight right hands to the head from Sakai instead. Still manages to land more of those left hooks to the body but Sakai shows no signs of slowing down, instead, he seems to be growing in confidence. That’s a third of this one down and it’s anyone’s game.
10:07
Heating up
In response to Sasaki’s forward movement, Sakai starts to bring the uppercut into play and lands a number of them on the inside. It does little to force Sasaki to slow down, however, as he stands and trades with his older opponent. A very entertaining round. This one is really bubbling up now.
10:03
next of Jin
More of the same through round two, with Sasaki consistently stomping forward with intent with Sakai backing off while offering the jab. Sasaki has more success with the left hook, this time to the body, and you wonder how many of those Sakai will be able to swallow before he has to take a knee.
09:59
Even first round
Contrast in styles in the first round between these two, who have sparred many rounds together behind closed doors. Sakai looking to keep it long, spearing his jab out to head and body to good effect. Sasaki, meanwhile, is on the hunt for blood straight away, winging away with big hooks. A left hook to the chin seems to land but underdog Sakai holds it well.
09:53
Sasaki, a champion in waiting?
The 23-year-old Sasaki is 18-1 with 17 KOs and starts every press conference with the same opening gambit: “I am Jin Sasaki, and I will be the first Japanese welterweight champion of the world”. And don’t put it past him; he is currently ranked at three with both the IBF and WBO and four with the WBC and WBA. Can he add another highlight reel knockout here?
09:50
Here comes the chief support…
We appear to be way ahead of schedule here, with over an hour left until the main event, but here comes the fighters for the chief support. This one should be fun too, with entertaining welterweight contender Jin Sasaki taking on the 29-14-3 Shoki Sakai.
Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim: Live Updates & Results
One of boxing’s pound-for-pound stars, Japan’s Naoya Inoue, 28-0 (25 KOs), defends his IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC super-bantamweight titles against unheralded challenger Ye Joon Kim, 21-2-2 (13 KOs) of South Korea in the Ariake Arena, Tokyo.
Where can you watch Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim?
Sky Sports from 7.30am (GMT) and ESPN.
What fights are on the Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim undercard?
12 x 3 mins โ WBC, WBO, IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine super bantamweight championships
Naoya Inoue โ 121ยพ lbs
Ye Joon Kim โ 121ยพ lbs
12 x 3 mins โ WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight championship
Goki Kobayashi โ 105 lbs
Yuni Takada โ 104ยพ lbs
12 x 3 mins โ WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation welterweight championships
Jin Sasaki โ 147 lbs
Shoki Sakai โ 146 lbs
10 x 3 mins โ Japan Boxing Commission Japanese super bantamweight championship
Toshiki Shimomachi โ 121ยฝ lbs
Misaki Hirano โ 121ยฝ lbs
10 x 3 mins โ lightweight contest
Tsubasa Narai โ 132ยฝ lbs
Kai Watanabe โ 132ยผ lbs