Fans react to fantasy boxing match between Naoya Inoue and Demetrious Johnson
Japanese boxing superstar Naoya Inoue has been the toast of the town following his spectacular eighth-round TKO against Stephen Fulton for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight world titles.
Inoue blew up social media after becoming the second-ever Japanese fighter to win major titles in four weight classes. Fans all over the web marveled at his victory and immediately began fantasy booking his next bout, the most intriguing of which came from renowned mixed martial arts journalist Ariel Helwani.
Taking to Twitter, Helwani suggested that a fight between Naoya Inoue and reigning ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson was the one to make.
“Next fight to make! Inoue x DJ at 125. Let’s go!”
Next fight to make!
Inoue x DJ at 125.
Let’s go!
Helwani noted in a follow-up tweet that he was merely joking, but that didn’t stop fight fans from taking the suggestion to heart, offering their thoughts and predictions on the cross-promotional clash.
“LOL WE WISH!” one Twitter user replied.
Another offered up a prediction, saying: “DJ would hurt that boy.”
Some even suggested that they could book the bout as a mixed-rules matchup, something Demetrious Johnson is quite familiar with.
“Rule
1R: Boxing
2R: MMA
Result: DJ defeat 2R Inoue by RNC.”
In March 2022, Demetrious Johnson competed in ONE’s first-ever mixed-rules superfight against ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon. The rules were fairly similar to those suggested above with the first bout being contested under Muay Thai rules while the second round switched to MMA.
‘Mighty Mouse’ managed to withstand an onslaught of strikes from ‘The Iron Man’ in the opening round and was able to turn the tables in the second, dragging Rodtang to the ground and securing a rear-naked choke.
Who do you think comes out on top in a potential showdown between Naoya Inoue and Demetrious Johnson? Drop your predictions in the comments section below.
Watch Johnson vs. Rodtang below: