Undefeated 31-year-old Japanese player Naoya Inoue will face Britain's Sam Goodman on January 24 at the Ariake Arena, Koto-ku, in Tokyo, Japan. In a fight that seems like a formality to Ino, and one he should win easily. Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) is no monster threat, and we think this should be his final fight at super bantamweight.
If Inoue decides to move up to featherweight, we have several fighters ready to welcome him to that weight class for a title fight. However, his team's plans could lead him to a warm-up fight first before facing one of the current featherweight champions.
Rafael “El Divino” Espinosa and Angelo Leo are the logical candidates. Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton fought each other in February, and the winner can add their name to the roster. If Naoya wants to fight for the title right away. Fulton was knocked out by Inoue in 2023 in 8 rounds at super bantamweight.
Another guy in this weight class that could feature is Robizzi Ramirez. The Cuban lost to Espinoza in a controversial bout, and little is known about his medical condition following his defeat to El Divino. However, being placed in this weight class opens up a leeway to measure Inoue if he actually regains his health.
Nick Paul will face TJ Doheny on March 15, closing the possibility of them facing off against Naoya soon. Rey Vargas hasn't won since 2022, and Oshaki Foster still hasn't beaten Robinson Conceicao; Most likely, they will have a third fight after their split decision victories in both fights.
Although Naoya's prospects at featherweight are not bright, boxing fans are still interested in seeing him take on the top at 126 pounds. And continuing to weigh 122 pounds will waste time and money for the Japanese monster. His superiority over the super heavyweights is great, and we do not see anyone capable of stopping him or engaging in a fierce fight with him.
We believe that in 2025, Naoya should step up and move up to featherweight. Most fans want to measure his ability against 126 pounds. If his team in Japan decides to let him move up in weight, the name of the opponent should matter.
Naoya Inoue's position on the LxL rosters means his featherweight contender should be a real contender. Given their physical advantages in terms of stature and reach, Rey Vargas and Rafael Espinosa look like very strong competitors. We don't know if the Mexicans will be able to hold down the featherweight division for long; It's possible they could both go super feathers, opening up a more balanced compass for Ino at this weight.
After considering all the possibilities, among the top featherweight contenders, although it seems unlikely, we are inclined to believe that Cuban Robesy Ramirez could be the one. The reason is that the Cuban still has his name at the top of this weight class, and Inoue's physical shortcomings will not be overwhelming.
Regardless of who Naoya Inoue and his team choose to make the jump to 126 pounds, the fact is that fans want to see him take on the best in this weight class. To some, Naoya seems invincible not only at 126 pounds, but he also sees a future where he finishes his career dominating at super featherweight, which seems unlikely.
For now, we'll just watch him make weight and measure against the best featherweight available through 2025. There are names that could surprise Inoue at this weight, and we're curious to see if he can maintain his power and dominance at this weight.
