The talents and intangibles that Stephen Fulton brings to the desk is under no circumstances misplaced on Naoya Inoue.
It’s why the unbeaten former three-division titlist focused the reigning WBC/WBO junior featherweight titlist for his first combat at a fourth weight division. Inoue and his workforce met with Fulton’s representatives and shortly labored out a deal for his or her extremely anticipated showdown, which headlines an ESPN+ telecast within the U.S. (Tuesday, 4:30 a.m. ET; 8:00 a.m. ET anticipated principal occasion ring stroll) from Ariake Area in Tokyo.
“I really feel extraordinarily motivated and absolutely ready,” Inoue instructed the assembled media through the closing pre-fight press convention Saturday in Tokyo. “That is my first combat (at 122) and I’m prepared. That’s the reason I’m extremely motivated.
“I’ve excessive expectations for myself. I’m keen to indicate the kind of efficiency I can ship.”
Odds have elevated up to now few days. Inoue is now a wholesome -400 favourite in accordance with bet365. The identical sportsbook lists Fulton (21-0, 8KOs) as a +300 underdog, regardless of the Philadelphia native coming in because the pure 122-pound fighter with a definite dimension benefit and because the defending champ.
Fulton got here up the laborious approach to earn his stripes as the category of the junior featherweight division. Inoue (24-0, 21KOs) is the tenth unbeaten opponent that Fulton can have confronted by means of simply 22 professional bouts, seven of which predated his WBO title win over Angelo Leo who was 21-0 on the time of their January 2021 conflict. Fulton can be the one fighter to defeat Brandon Figueroa, who was 22-0-1 when the 2 collided of their terrific November 2021 WBC/WBO title unification bout, gained by Fulton by way of majority determination.
Inoue (24-0, 21KOs) has solely confronted one undefeated fighter previous to difficult Fulton. Fittingly, it got here in his first true bantamweight title win versus Puerto Rico’s Emmanuel Rodriguez, who was 19-0 and the reigning IBF bantamweight titlist earlier than Inoue slaughtered him in lower than two rounds.
The win started the highway to the undisputed crown for Inoue, who defeated Nonito Donaire by way of unanimous determination in November 2019 so as to add the WBA belt and once more by way of second-round knockout for the WBC title final June. An eleventh-round stoppage of WBO titleholder Paul Butler accomplished the run, which noticed Inoue turn into the primary Asian boxer to totally unify any division within the multi-belt period.
He’s now a win away from changing into Japan’s first-ever two-division unified titlist and the nation’s third boxer to win not less than one title in 4 or extra weight divisions. It’s not in any respect misplaced on him, although, that Fulton is a reduce above maybe each different opponent he’s confronted by means of practically eleven years as a professional.
“I’ve watched a whole lot of tape on Fulton. I believe he’s a really composed and completed boxer,” acknowledged Inoue. “He’s additionally very good within the ring.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
