Naoya Inoue cleared the path for a highly-anticipated domestic super-fight by successfully defending his championship belts with a clear points victory over Alan Picasso in Riyadh on Saturday.
Universally considered as one of the world's elite P4P boxers, "The Monster" was in total command from the opening bell. He neutralized the previously unbeaten challenger with a combination of pinpoint accuracy, blistering speed, and relentless pressure. The scorecards confirmed his superiority with lopsided scores of 117-111, 119-109, and 120-108.
“This performance wasn't good enough,” stated the champion through a translator. “I'm glad I won, but I'm really tired. I'll rest and be much better next time.”
Despite giving up significant physical advantages to his foe, Inoue imposed his will with crisp counters and hurtful body attacks. He stunned Picasso midway through the bout and consistently broke through his defensive guard, forcing him into a survival mode as the fight progressed.
The triumph sets up a potential historic encounter with fellow countryman the rising star. He also emerged victorious on the undercard, earning a unanimous decision in his debut at the 122-pound limit.
“I moved up to this division to win world titles,” declared the undefeated contender. “Should the opportunity arise, I will seize it.”
Inoue responded in kind without making a firm commitment. “We both performed well this evening,” he noted. “For next year, we will decide what happens. The fans can look forward to something special.”
Should it be made, an clash between the two champions fight—widely rumored for 3 May at the legendary Tokyo Dome—would pit two unbeaten, multi-division titleholders in their physical primes. This represents a unique event in modern boxing and is considered by experts as a candidate to be the biggest contest in Japan's rich boxing history.
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