Japan’s Naoya Inoue announced his pass up to boxing’s incredible-bantamweight department Friday and set his points of interest on becoming undisputed international champion again, simply one month after claiming all of the bantamweight belts.He stated he had already decided to vacate his titles and tackle a new project in the remarkable-bantamweight division, with negotiations beneath way for his next combat.
The 29-year-old Inoue, who has a 24-0 document with 21 knock-outs, said he was moving up a weight class because there was “not anything left to do and nobody I want to fight” in the bantamweight division.
“It may be a undertaking in opposition to fighters who are bigger than me but this is the real combat arising,” said Inoue, who previously held international titles at light-flyweight and notable-flyweight.
“I’m truly excited about it.”
Inoue knocked out Butler inside the eleventh spherical in Tokyo to end up the primary undisputed bantamweight international champion considering that Panama’s Enrique Pinder in 1972.
He additionally became most effective the ninth undisputed international champion for the reason that four-belt technology commenced in 2004, and the first in the bantamweight division.
No man has ever achieved the feat in more than one weight elegance, but Inoue believes he can write a new bankruptcy in boxing history.
“Even transferring up to first-rate-bantamweight, I still need to aim to turn out to be the undisputed champion,” he stated.
“To be undisputed champion in two weight training would be a international’s first and a outstanding success, and that’s something I need to aim for.”
Inoue and his team could not be drawn at the identification of his subsequent capacity opponent, however he said he turned into inclined to tackle a pinnacle fighter right now.
Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev is the cutting-edge WBA and IBF world super-bantamweight champion, even as American Stephen Fulton holds the WBC and WBO belts.
Inoue said there has been “plenty of skills inside the splendid-bantamweight department” and he’s inclined to bide his time to attain the pinnacle.
“It took me 4 years and 8 months to undergo the bantamweight division and I think it’ll possibly take the same quantity of time in excellent-bantamweight,” stated Inoue, who has stated he intends to retire at 35.
“I assume it is honest to mention that exquisite-bantamweight can be the final chapter for me.”
Inoue’s more youthful brother Takuma is also a expert boxer who formerly held the WBC intervening time bantamweight global name.
The older Inoue said he would love to peer his brother venture for one of his former belts as soon as he has vacated them.
“It has always been my dream for us to both be world champions,” he stated.
“I’m vacating my titles and shifting up to tremendous-bantamweight, and I suppose that goal can turn out to be a fact in the close to destiny.”