Promoter Eddie Hearn has called on Naoya Inoue to fight WBA No. 1 contender, Murodjon Akhmadaliyev (13-1, 10 KOs), following his third-round knockout win over Ricardo Espinosa (30-5, 25 KOs) on Saturday night in Sale. des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Hearn is trying to expose Inoue, 31, and his team to take the fight with Akhmadaliev, but that doesn't seem to be effective. Inoue has been immune to public pressure throughout his career, ignoring their pleas for him to fight better opposition.
It's been 12 years Feast on cans of tomatoeswinning three world titles against flawed fighters. He will not react to being disgraced by Hearn by fighting Akhmadaliev and will likely be sent off in the same way as Ricardo Espinoza was tonight.
Akhmadaliyev knocked Espinoza down three times in the third round to a stoppage at 2:59. After the fight, undisputed super bantamweight champion Akhmadaliyev challenged Inoue to face them following his next title defense against No. 1 IBF and No. 1 WBO Sam Goodman on January 24.
Will Inoue give up his position?
Hearn said he believes Inoue's team will “avoid” Akhmadaliyev. If he doesn't fight him, he expects Naoya to relinquish the WBA title. He may actually do that as he is expected to move up to 126 shortly after his fight against Goodman (19-0, 9 KOs) on January 24 and Junto Nakatani.
Risk avoidance champion
Akhmadaliev has almost no chance of getting into a fight with Noe because he is so talented, he has become the Japanese star He hates taking risks. Inoue has never fought anyone so well during his 12-year career. So you could say he was never a risk taker.
“I'm ready. Let's go, Naoya. Why is he evading me? If he doesn't want to fight with me, he needs to explain because when I was champion, I followed the rules and he has to follow the rules too,” Murodjon Akmadaliyev said during a press meet.com.interview Following his knockout win over Ricardo Espinoza on Saturday night, calling out undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
“I had a mandatory. I was fighting them without any discussion. So, I need an explanation because I am here and ready to fight. The best must fight the best. I am mandatory, and (WBA) is an interim champion. (Inoue) must prove that he is the best in his division. He is a legend “He has to prove it, too,” Akhmet Aliyev said about Naoya Eno.
I don't think there's anything Akhmadaliev and Hearn can do to force Naoya to fight him. He will make his rescheduled title defense against light-hitting Sam Goodman on January 24 and will likely fight Junto Nakatanya next. He's another guy to beat.
Naoya's avoidance tactics
“We handed him the fight. He wasn't called up once. “He's been called up twice by the WBA,” said promoter Eddie Hearn about the two-fight order for his fighter Akhmadaliev. “The first time, they paid for an exception for Duck MJ.
“And the second time was iron writing. They had to fight him. They found a way to avoid him (Akhmadaliyev) again. Naoya Inoue is a pound-for-pound legend. We respect him. He's an unbelievable fighter. There's one thing he hasn't got. That's Uzbek power.” .
“I'm telling you. There's only one fighter in the (super bantamweight) division that can compete with him, let alone beat him, and that's MJ. I'm telling you right now, sign this up. This guy (Akhmadaliyev) is going to beat Naoya Inoue.”
“He has all the skills, all the ability, the pedigree. I fully believe he will beat him. We will do it in Japan. They should have been fighting each other for the undisputed championship. We lost ( Akhmadaliev) won a decision we didn't think we deserved to lose (against Marlon Tapales by 12-round split decision on April 8, 2023).”
That was a tough deal that Akhmadaliyev got, losing to Tapales by 12-round decision last year in April 2023. It's too bad there was never a rematch because there should have been.
“Twice, he (Naoya) was called out for a fight. He's the only fighter in the division, and there are people who say, 'Oh no, Naoya doesn't evade anyone.'” Inoue may not do that, but his team does, because everyone in boxing knows how good he is ( Akhmadaliev).
“Uzbek power”
“Let the best fight the best. It's the only fight in the division that's one of the best fights in the sport. I tell you what. I'll bet the house on him. This guy beat Naoya Inoue. I'll tell you something else. I bet you they'll never fight him after this fight with ( Sam) Goodman,
“He's got to either evacuate him or fight him. I bet you they're avoiding him. If they do, don't start calling him pound-for-pound No. 1 because that guy's going to beat him up. Uzbek power, stick your house in there,” Hearn said.
Naoya will give up all four of his titles at 122, but he will do so without fighting Akhmadaliev because he is a threat to defeat him. He's cautious and always has been.
