Japan’s Naoya Inoue efficiently defended his undisputed super-bantamweight championship at IG Area in Nagoya on Sunday, September 14, defeating former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev by unanimous choice. The judges scored the bout 117-111, 118-110, and 118-110 in favor of “The Monster,” who prolonged his good skilled file to 31-0 with 27 knockouts.
Naoya Inoue Defeats Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Inoue dominated the contest against his Uzbek challenger, demonstrating the technical precision and power that has established him as one of boxing’s elite fighters. The victory marked Inoue’s fourth consecutive defense of the undisputed 122-pound crown he captured in December 2023 when he knocked out Marlon Tapales to become the first fighter in boxing history to hold undisputed titles in two weight classes during the four-belt era.
Akhmadaliev entered the fight as the WBA interim champion and necessary challenger, having earned his shot with a dominant third-round knockout of Ricardo Espinoza Franco in Monte Carlo final December. The previous unified champion scored three knockdowns towards Espinoza, sending a transparent message that he remained a harmful contender regardless of shedding his unified titles to Tapales in April 2023.
Championship Significance
The victory represents another milestone in Inoue’s historic run as an undisputed champion. He holds all four major world titles – WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO – along with The Ring magazine championship at super-bantamweight. Inoue became the first boxer to achieve undisputed status at 122 pounds and only the second fighter in the four-belt era to unify two separate weight divisions completely.
Since moving to super-bantamweight in July 2023, Inoue has demonstrated his skill to hold his distinctive knockout energy up in weight. He captured his first titles within the division by stopping Stephen Fulton in eight rounds, then accomplished the unification by knocking out Tapales in December 2023. His subsequent title defenses have showcased his dominance, together with victories over Luis Nery, TJ Doheny, Ye Joon Kim, and Ramon Cardenas.
Pound-for-Pound Recognition
Inoue presently ranks second on The Ring journal’s prestigious pound-for-pound listing, trailing solely heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. He made historical past as the primary Japanese boxer to achieve the highest of those rankings and maintains a knockout ratio of 87 p.c in his skilled profession. His achievements have elevated Japanese boxing globally, with compatriots Junto Nakatani and Kenshiro Teraji additionally that includes in The Ring’s top-10 pound-for-pound rankings.
Akhmadaliev’s Problem
The 30-year-old Akhmadaliev offered a major take a look at for Inoue, having beforehand held unified WBA and IBF titles at super-bantamweight earlier than shedding them to Tapales in a controversial cut up choice. Many observers believed Akhmadaliev deserved the victory in that bout, with one choose scoring the battle 118-110 for Tapales whereas the opposite two had it 115-113.
Akhmadaliev’s return to title competition started together with his knockout victory over Espinoza, which ended a year-long layoff and established him because the necessary challenger beneath WBA guidelines. His promoter Eddie Hearn and staff had been vocal of their pursuit of the Inoue battle, arguing that the undisputed champion ought to honor his necessary obligations.
Profession Affect
The victory maintains Inoue’s place as one among boxing’s most dominant champions and units up potential future matchups that might outline his legacy. With 24 knockout victories in world title fights, he holds the file for many knockouts in championship contests and continues so as to add to his historic resume.
Inoue’s success has transformed him into a global boxing star, with his fights drawing significant viewership in Japan and internationally. His defeat of Luis Nery at Tokyo Dome in May 2024 set records for Amazon Prime Video viewership in Japan, surpassing even the World Baseball Classic finals.
The unanimous decision victory over Akhmadaliev reinforces Inoue’s status as the undisputed king of the super-bantamweight division and one of the most accomplished fighters in modern boxing history.
