In the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series tournament bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (18-0, 16 KOs) won by TKO in the second round over Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1, 12 KOs).
The battle began from the very start. In the first round both fighters had their moments, but in the second Inoue was able to send his opponent on the floor with a left hook to the jaw, and it was almost the end of the fight. The Puerto Ricans managed to get up, but a moment later he was back on the floor again after a punch to the liver. Rodriguez tried to take in the fight, but after the third fall the referee stopped the bout.
At the stake of the meeting Inoue vs Rodriguez there were WBA, IBF and the magazine The Ring belts. In the WBSS final rival the Japanese "monster" will face Nonito Donaire (40-5, 26 KOs).