Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who has a co-promotional agreement with Naoya Inoue, better known by his nickname “The Monster”, thinks that Inoue could move up to 122 lbs., and become undisputed, yet again.
Inoue became the first Japanese undisputed champion in the history of boxing when he stopped Paul Butler to win every world title at 118 lbs., and now Inoue has his eyes set on the super bantamweight division.
“I think he’s going to decide to vacate the bantamweight titles, he has all four of them, and move up to 122lbs,” Arum explained when speaking to Talk Sport. “I don’t see anybody beating this guy, he boxes beautifully and he’s a concussive puncher, especially at his weight.”
With Inoue working with Top Rank, he is featured on ESPN telecasts, across the vast networks and platforms.
The current champions at 122 lbs. are Stephen Fulton Jr., who holds the WBC and WBO titles, but besides network and promotional politics, Fulton is rumored to be fighting Brandon Figueroa at 126 lbs. next year, though nothing is official.
The other champion, Murodjon Akhmadaliev the current IBF and WBA world champion, has been rather inactive as well.
So Inoue will likely put a lot of pressure on the current batch of champions decide what they want to do.
