Naoya Inoue isn’t the "monster" that everyone claims, says WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball while welcoming clash with Japanese star
Naoya Inoue is regarded by many as the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. In 2023 he became the second male boxer ever to attain undisputed world titles in two weight classes, first at bantamweight and then super bantamweight.
However, WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball believes that Inoue is not as deadly as he is made out to be. The Japanese star goes by the moniker of 'The Monster' and with a record of 27-0 (24 KOs), it would be fair to assume his nickname is warranted.
Ball, however, believes that Inoue is beatable and has welcomed a potential clash with the undefeated boxer. The Scouser recently became the WBA featherweight champion after handing Raymond Ford his first career defeat in June.
He was recently interviewed by Seconds Out, where he discussed a clash with 'The Monster,' who is expected to move to featherweight once his time at 122 pounds is over.
Ball said:
"Yeah definitely [it's a fight I want]. If he's moving up like you say he is, then yeah, that'd be an exciting fight that everyone would want to watch. We're all-action fighters, so it'd be action packed... Yeah, there's flaws in [Inoue's game]. His last fight [against Luis Nery] he got dropped, didn't he? There's that, he's been dropped. He can get hurt, so he's not a monster the way everyone is saying he is."
Watch Nick Ball discuss Naoya Inoue below:
Eddie Hearn slams Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny as a
disgrace
Naoya Inoue's next super bantamweight title defense has been officially confirmed, with the Japanese pugilist set to face TJ Doheny in September.
However, the undefeated and undisputed world champion has been accused of ducking his WBA mandatory challenger, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, by Eddie Hearn.
Hearn, who is one of the leading promoters in boxing right now, recently stated that he knew "for a fact" that Inoue's camp were not keen on facing Akhmadaliev. The Matchroom Boxing chairman slammed the Inoue vs. Doheny clash during a recent interview, saying:
"Disappointing for boxing. Disappointing for Japan. If I hadn't worked with TJ Doheny five or six years ago I would really go in on this fight. But I don't want to disrespect TJ because he's a nice guy... It's a horrific mismatch. I don't understand why, for some reason, Team Inoue and Mr. Honda and everyone, I know for a fact, they don't like the Akhmadaliev fight."
Watch Eddie Hearn discuss Naoya Inoue's next fight below (10:35):