Naoya Inoue: 'I’ve completely recovered from unexpected injury'

Naoya Inoue has a new contract, a new destination and a healed right eye.

Time to go back to work for the bantamweight champion, who hopes to enhance his pound-for-pound credentials and further his stardom in Las Vegas against Filipino John Riel Casimero on April 25 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay on ESPN.

Inoue, who confirmed Friday at a news conference in Tokyo that he will fight Casimero, said he has recovered from injuries sustained in his Fight of the Year decision over Nonito Donaire for two of the 118-pound belts on Nov. 7 in Saitama, Japan.

Inoue’s right orbital bone was fractured. He also suffered a cut above the right eye and a broken nose. The injuries have healed, said Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs), who also said he did not need surgery.

“I have already started sparring, and I’ve no problem in my right eye,” Inoue said through a translator. “I’ve completely recovered from the unexpected injury.’’

Inoue, who signed a co-promotional deal with Top Rank in November, said he plans to arrive in Las Vegas three weeks before his bout with Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs), a Manny Pacquiao-promoted fighter who has one of the bantamweight belts.

“He is an aggressive and hard-punching boxer who is dangerous and wild enough,” said Inoue, who will be making his fourth title defense at 118 pounds. “I wish to carefully watch his strategy and strength as well.”

Inoue, No. 4 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, appeared at the news conference with his father, Shingo Inoue, and co-promoter Hideyuki Ohashi.

“I’m happy to be able to engage in a unification bout with Casimero with our three world belts on the line,” said Inoue, who also held junior flyweight and junior bantamweight titles. “This will be the first for a Japanese boxer to win three world belts if victorious.’’