Naoya Inoue, in a stunning display, knocked out Luis Nery at Tokyo Dome before an audience of 55,000 spectators. This momentous win not only improved his unbeaten record to 27-0 but marked it with his 24th knockout. The event took place in Tokyo, where Mike Tyson faced a historic defeat 34 years earlier.
In the match against Nery, Inoue was knocked down for the first time in his career during round one. He quickly regained composure and control by the second round, delivering a powerful left hook that floored Nery. By round five, he had firmly turned the tides with consistent aggression and landed another significant left hook. The climax of the fight saw Inoue knocking out Nery in the sixth round.
Following his victory, Sam Goodman entered the ring to challenge Inoue directly. "Look I’ve been mandatory for over a year, either fight me or give up the belts, let’s get it on," exclaimed Goodman. In response, Inoue expressed enthusiasm about entering negotiations for a September bout with Goodman and both fighters shook hands post-exchange.
Goodman later articulated his confidence about facing Inoue in an interview with Main Events stating, "Look, I’ve seen enough in the fight to know I can do what I need to do to win that fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me. It’s something very exciting and I’ve been saying it for how long, I want world titles."
Currently ranked as a top pound-for-pound star and boasting four different titles across weight divisions, Inoue stands at a crossroads where he might either face Goodman next or ascend to featherweight class.
