It’s official: Stephen Fulton Jr will head to Japan to defend his pair of 122 lb titles in opposition to Naoya Inoue on Sunday, Might 7, with ESPN+ streaming the combat in the US.
Inoue (24-0, 21 KO) will likely be making his 122 lb debut after going undisputed at bantamweight together with his December knockout win over Paul Butler in Tokyo. The 29-year-old “Monster” is seen by many as the highest pound-for-pound fighter in boxing right now — together with our web site’s rankings — and has received world titles at 108, 115, and 118 lbs.
Fulton (21-0, 8 KO) could grow to be the hardest problem of his profession, with due respect to future Corridor of Famer Nonito Donaire and different high quality opponents Inoue has confronted. Fulton is a real prime 122 lb fighter, holds the WBC and WBO titles, and like Inoue, has among the best jabs within the sport — you could even consider they’re the 2 greatest jabbers in boxing, and it’s not a foul argument.
This combat got here collectively after Fulton, 28, selected to push for a combat with Inoue relatively than transferring as much as featherweight for a rematch with Brandon Figueroa, who simply beat Mark Magsayo this previous Saturday.
It’s a daring and massively admirable transfer by Fulton, who put apart any potential promotional points between PBC and High Rank to go after a giant combat on the street in opposition to one of many sport’s prime names. And it’s huge for Inoue, clearly, and likewise an actual problem. Irrespective of how nice they’re, when fighters maintain going up and up in weight, they at all times meet a wall.
Will 122 and Fulton be Inoue’s wall? I can’t wait to seek out out.
