Promoter Eddie Hearn has called out Naoya Inoue to fight his WBA No. 1 contender, Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs), following his third-round knockout victory over Ricardo Espinoza (30-5, 25 KOs) on Saturday night at the Salle des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Hearn is trying to shame Inoue (31) and his team into making the fight with Akhamadaliev, but it 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.
He visited for 12 years indulge in canned tomatoeswinning three divisional world titles against flawed fighters. He’s not going to respond to being shamed by Hearn by fighting Akhmadaliev and likely getting eliminated the same way Ricardo Espinoza was tonight.
Akhmadaliev knocked Espinoza down three times in the third round to earn a stoppage at 2:59. After the fight Akhmadaliev challenged the undisputed super bantamweight champion Inoue to face them next after his next title defense against #1 IBF and #1 WBO Sam Goodman on January 24th.
Will Inoue vacate?
Hearn said he thinks Team Inoue will “avoid” Akhmadaliev. If he doesn’t fight him, he expects Naoya to vacate his WBA title. He might actually do that, as he’s expected to move up to 126 soon after his fights against Goodman (19-0, 9 KOs) on Jan. 24 and Junto Nakatani.
The risk-averse champion
Akhmadaliev has almost no chance to get into a fight with Noue, because he is too talented, and the Japanese star has become risk averse. Inoue has never fought anyone well during his 12-year career. So you can say that he was never a risk taker.
“I’m ready. Let’s go, Naoya. Why is he ducking me? If he doesn’t want to fight me, he has to explain, because when I was a champion, I followed the rules and he has to follow the rules too,” said Murodjon Akmadalev during ‘ni.maintenance after his knockout of Ricardo Espinoza on Saturday night and called out undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
“I had to oblige. I fought them without any reservation. So, I need an explanation because I’m here and ready for battle. The best must fight the best. I am mandatory, and (WBA) interim champion. He (Inoue) should prove he is the best in his division. He is a legend. He also has to prove it,” Akhmadaliev said of Naoya Inoue.
I don’t think there is anything Akhmadaliev and Hearn can do to force Naoya to fight him. He is next set to make his rescheduled title defense against light puncher Sam Goodman on January 24th and is likely to fight Junto Nakatania after that. He’s another beatable guy.
Naoya’s avoidance tactics
“We gave him the fight. It was not mentioned once. It was called twice by the WBA,” promoter Eddie Hearn said of a fight that was twice ordered for his fighter Akhmadaliev. “The first time they paid for an exception to duck MJ.
“The second time was iron in writing. They had to fight him. They found a way to avoid him (Akhmadaljef) again. Naoya Inoue is a pound-for-pound legend. We respect him. He is an incredible fighter. There is one thing he doesn’t have. This is Uzbek power.
“I’m telling you. There is only one fighter in the (super bantamweight) division that can compete with him, let alone beat him, and that is MJ. I tell you now, and you record it. This man (Akhmadaliev) will beat Naoya Inoue.
“He has all the skills, all the ability and the pedigree. I fully believe he will beat him. We will do it in Japan. They should have fought each other for the undisputed championship. We (Akhmadaliev) lost a decision we didn’t believe we deserved to lose (against Marlon Tapales via a 12-round split decision on April 8, 2023),” Hearn said of Akhmadaliev’s controversial decision loss to Tapales in the past year.
It was a raw deal given to Akhmadaliev, who lost to Tapales last year in April 2023 by a 12-round decision. It’s a shame there was never a rematch because there should have been.
“Twice he (Naoya) was called to fight him. He’s the only fighter in the division, and there are people out there who say, ‘Oh no, Naoya doesn’t duck anybody.’ Maybe Inoue doesn’t, but his team does because everyone in boxing knows how good he (Akhmadalev) is.
“Uzbek Power”
“Let the best fight the best. It’s the only fight in the division. This is one of the best fights in the sport. I tell you what. I’ll bet the house on it. This young man beat Naoya Inoue. I will tell you something else. I’ll bet you they never fight him. After this fight with (Sam) Goodman,
“He must either evacuate or fight him. I bet you they avoid him. If they do, don’t start calling him pound-for-pound #1 because this guy will beat him. Uzbek mag, stick your house on it,” Hearn said.
Naoya is going to vacate his four titles at 122, but he will do it without fighting Akhmadaliev because he is a threat to beat him. He is careful and always has been.
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