What’s Next For Naoya Inoue?
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Had all gone according to plan, Japanese world champion Naoya (The Monster) Inoue would have defended his WBA/IBF bantamweight title belts at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas against WBO world champion John Riel Casimero on April 25. But that bout was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Instead, Inoue, (19-0, 16 KO), who celebrated his 27th birthday last month, finds himself back home in Japan, waiting and wondering when he’ll fight next, where that fight will take place, and who will be his opponent in the ring.
“I was going to have my 27-year-old birthday in Las Vegas doing physical preparations for my fight against John Riel Casimero," Inoue said in a prepared statement released to BoxingScene.com.
"But, because of what is happening today with the danger in this world due to a coronavirus pandemic, I am now in Japan and thanks to which I can spend my life surrounded by my family in peace and tranquility. My fight in Las Vegas was suspended because of coronavirus. I am still training at 60% intensity so I don't lose my physical form for whatever comes.
“Presumably my fight with John Riel Casimero would be possible to take place in Japan, provided that Japan is the safest location and a more reliable country than the U.S., as long as COVID-19 ends in Japan faster than the U.S.
“Eight calendar years have passed since my professional boxing debut. I was able to consummate greater and more glorious achievements than I imagined by making the leap to being a professional, but, I can tell you, my holy ambition as a boxer is still half-finished.
"Now, my project is to continue my triumphant march, but it is momentarily interrupted by COVID-19. In spite of which, I harbor an immense feeling of desire and improvement so that I am capable of throwing myself strongly into an important fight to fulfill my great goal in boxing. I understand that I cannot waste time and I want to continue my professional boxing career as long as possible.”
Casimero Still Wants Inoue
Instead, Inoue, (19-0, 16 KO), who celebrated his 27th birthday last month, finds himself back home in Japan, waiting and wondering when he’ll fight next, where that fight will take place, and who will be his opponent in the ring.
“I was going to have my 27-year-old birthday in Las Vegas doing physical preparations for my fight against John Riel Casimero," Inoue said in a prepared statement released to BoxingScene.com.
"But, because of what is happening today with the danger in this world due to a coronavirus pandemic, I am now in Japan and thanks to which I can spend my life surrounded by my family in peace and tranquility. My fight in Las Vegas was suspended because of coronavirus. I am still training at 60% intensity so I don't lose my physical form for whatever comes.
“Presumably my fight with John Riel Casimero would be possible to take place in Japan, provided that Japan is the safest location and a more reliable country than the U.S., as long as COVID-19 ends in Japan faster than the U.S.
“Eight calendar years have passed since my professional boxing debut. I was able to consummate greater and more glorious achievements than I imagined by making the leap to being a professional, but, I can tell you, my holy ambition as a boxer is still half-finished.
"Now, my project is to continue my triumphant march, but it is momentarily interrupted by COVID-19. In spite of which, I harbor an immense feeling of desire and improvement so that I am capable of throwing myself strongly into an important fight to fulfill my great goal in boxing. I understand that I cannot waste time and I want to continue my professional boxing career as long as possible.”
Casimero Still Wants Inoue
According to his promoter, Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions, Casimero (29-4, 20 KO) wants no part of a tune-up fight prior to stepping into the ring with Inoue. The 31-year-old Filipino remains anxious to get it on with the unbeaten Japanese star.
If something were to happen, if Inoue couldn't get in (to America), we would re-evaluate the situation," Gibbons told ESPN. "If 'the Monster's’ coming - we're fighting 'the Monster’''.
In his last fight, Casimero scored a TKO over Zolani Tete at 2:14 of the third round of their bout in Birmingham, England to win the WBO title. It was the third world title for Casimero, who’d previously earned belts at 108 and 112 pounds. It was also his fifth straight win.
When their bout was originally carded, oddsmakers at online sportsbooks pegged Inoue as the 11-2 favorite and Casimero as a 7-2 underdog.
There’s been speculation that Casimero would fight Joshua Greer next instead of Inoue but he insisted in a conversation with told topclassboxing.co.uk that he’d definitely be getting in the ring next to face Inoue.
“I want the Inoue fight,” Casimero said. “Sean (Gibbons) told me we will be fighting in July. Don’t believe the video blogs saying that I will be fighting someone else. They’re just gimmicks.”
Arum A Fan Of Inoue
The bout with Casimero was to be Inoue’s first with Top Rank Boxing. Despite the cancelation of the bout, Bob Arum, founder and CEO of the Las Vegas-based Top Rank, figures it’s only a matter of time until Inoue, with his devastating punching power, becomes a major star of the squared circle in America.
“I think he is gonna be a huge star, both in the United States and around the world,” Arum told BoxingScene.com.
Already a superstar in Japan, Inoue has fought just twice outside of his homeland since turning pro in 2012 - once in Carson, Calif., and once in Glasgow, Scotland. As he becomes familiar to North American boxing fans, Arum is certain that Inoue will be a major drawing card.
“He comes to fight,” Arum said. “He’s crowd-pleasing. You’ve got some guys out there who are great fighters, but they’re not very crowd-pleasing. This kid, a 118-pounder, with the power that he has, is really unusual. And you saw in the (Nonito) Donaire fight, even when he can’t utilize the power because he’s in with a terrific boxer, like Donaire is, he has a way to press, to come through and to win the fight.”
Appetite for Inoue-Donaire Rematch
If something were to happen, if Inoue couldn't get in (to America), we would re-evaluate the situation," Gibbons told ESPN. "If 'the Monster's’ coming - we're fighting 'the Monster’''.
In his last fight, Casimero scored a TKO over Zolani Tete at 2:14 of the third round of their bout in Birmingham, England to win the WBO title. It was the third world title for Casimero, who’d previously earned belts at 108 and 112 pounds. It was also his fifth straight win.
When their bout was originally carded, oddsmakers at online sportsbooks pegged Inoue as the 11-2 favorite and Casimero as a 7-2 underdog.
There’s been speculation that Casimero would fight Joshua Greer next instead of Inoue but he insisted in a conversation with told topclassboxing.co.uk that he’d definitely be getting in the ring next to face Inoue.
“I want the Inoue fight,” Casimero said. “Sean (Gibbons) told me we will be fighting in July. Don’t believe the video blogs saying that I will be fighting someone else. They’re just gimmicks.”
Arum A Fan Of Inoue
The bout with Casimero was to be Inoue’s first with Top Rank Boxing. Despite the cancelation of the bout, Bob Arum, founder and CEO of the Las Vegas-based Top Rank, figures it’s only a matter of time until Inoue, with his devastating punching power, becomes a major star of the squared circle in America.
“I think he is gonna be a huge star, both in the United States and around the world,” Arum told BoxingScene.com.
Already a superstar in Japan, Inoue has fought just twice outside of his homeland since turning pro in 2012 - once in Carson, Calif., and once in Glasgow, Scotland. As he becomes familiar to North American boxing fans, Arum is certain that Inoue will be a major drawing card.
“He comes to fight,” Arum said. “He’s crowd-pleasing. You’ve got some guys out there who are great fighters, but they’re not very crowd-pleasing. This kid, a 118-pounder, with the power that he has, is really unusual. And you saw in the (Nonito) Donaire fight, even when he can’t utilize the power because he’s in with a terrific boxer, like Donaire is, he has a way to press, to come through and to win the fight.”
Appetite for Inoue-Donaire Rematch
Nonito Donaire. Photo by: Arvee Eco (Flickr).
The November 2019 bout between Inoue and Donaire (40-6, 26 KO), won by Inoue via unanimous decision, was voted fight of the year by the American Boxing Press Association.
Naturally, people would love to see a rematch. Suppose the Inoue-Casimero can’t be put together. For example, there could be COVID-19 travel restrictions that would prohibit Inoue from getting to the USA.
If that’s the case, a second Inoue-Donaire bout would be a more than acceptable consolation prize.
Donaire’s promoter Richard Schaefer thinks his fighter has earned another crack at Inoue. When I went to Japan, everyone thought that Nonito had no chance to win,” Schaefer told Yahoo! Japan. “The Inoue match was a mismatch, and even some voices were worried about serious injury.
“It became a close match and was selected as the best match of the year.”
Donaire is supposed to fight WBC titleholder Nordine Oubaali in his next bout. If he were to win that, and Inoue beat Casimero, the two could meet in a rematch with four world title belts on the line.
The November 2019 bout between Inoue and Donaire (40-6, 26 KO), won by Inoue via unanimous decision, was voted fight of the year by the American Boxing Press Association.
Naturally, people would love to see a rematch. Suppose the Inoue-Casimero can’t be put together. For example, there could be COVID-19 travel restrictions that would prohibit Inoue from getting to the USA.
If that’s the case, a second Inoue-Donaire bout would be a more than acceptable consolation prize.
Donaire’s promoter Richard Schaefer thinks his fighter has earned another crack at Inoue. When I went to Japan, everyone thought that Nonito had no chance to win,” Schaefer told Yahoo! Japan. “The Inoue match was a mismatch, and even some voices were worried about serious injury.
“It became a close match and was selected as the best match of the year.”
Donaire is supposed to fight WBC titleholder Nordine Oubaali in his next bout. If he were to win that, and Inoue beat Casimero, the two could meet in a rematch with four world title belts on the line.