THIS Sunday, Naoya Inoue seeks to defend the undisputed super-bantamweight crown once again, in what may be his toughest test yet at 122lbs, against Murodjon Akhmadaliev. Should he come out on top, he will not only move a step closer to a legendary showdown – he will also make boxing history.
After becoming the undisputed bantamweight champion, Naoya Inoue, 30-0 (27 KOs), moved up to super-bantamweight in 2023 and needed just two fights to replicate the feat by halting unified champions, Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales in 2023.
Since then, ‘The Monster’ has made a further four defences of the undisputed crown and won by knockout on each occasion, but many believe that Sunday will prove to be a more arduous night for the 32-year-old, against his biggest super-bantamweight threat.
Still, if Inoue can retain his belts, the Japanese phenomenon will make history and become the first male in the history of the four-belt era to defend his undisputed title on more than two occasions within a calendar year.
There are also rumours that Inoue will return in December and thus possibly extend this record, ahead of an epic clash with Junto Nakatani in early 2026, although he would be wise to not look beyond the fight in front of him.
Hoping to pull off the upset is Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 14-1 (11 KOs), who lost his shot at facing Inoue in 2023 when he lost his WBA and IBF world titles in a surprise defeat to Tapales.
‘MJ’ has responded well to that defeat, stringing together three consecutive wins inside of the distance, and claiming the WBA Interim title during the process, to tee up this delayed opportunity at handing Inoue a first career defeat.
NAOYA INOUE VS MURODJON AKHMADALIEV FIGHT PREDICTION
Hard to hit, Akhmadaliev represents the most tactically astute super-bantamweight opposition that Inoue has been tasked with. The Uzbek southpaw picks his spots well and makes few mistakes, aided by his low output.
Yet, it is this same output that Inoue must attempt to capitalise on, setting the pace at a tempo that the challenger is uncomfortable with and systematically breaking Akhmadaliev down, targeting the body early on and slowing down the feet.
Boxing News predicts that Inoue will make this an Inoue-style fight and that Akhmadaliev, although competitive in the first half, will run out of the steam down the stretch and be taken out between rounds 10-12, in a statement win for the pound-for-pound superstar.
