Eddie Hearn annoyed with WBA super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue dropping mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev to easier fights against weak opposition that are no threat to beat him.
Hearn says the World Boxing Association will write to Inoue (29-9, 26 KOs) on Monday to tell him he must defend against Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs) next or he will lose his WBA 122-lb belt.
However, Hearn predicts that Inoue, 31, will vacate his WBA title and face his WBC #1 contender, Alan David Picassofollowing. The two are expected to fight next in Las Vegas in the US. Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) is not well known to the American boxing public, but he has fans from his native Mexico who will be excited to see him fight the ‘Monster’ Inoue.
Vacancy predicted
“Naoya Inoue is ducking Murodjon Akhmadaliev straight. He was twice ordered to fight him. He had two gimme fights (Ye Joon Kim and TJ Doheny) instead of fighting Akhmadaliev,” Eddie Hearn told talkSport Boxing about Naoya Inoue.
“The WBA will write to Naoya Inoue on Monday and say: ‘Enough is enough. You have to fight Akhmadaliev or you will be stripped of your WBA title and you will no longer be undisputed.’ Watch it now. Naoya Inoue will vacate his WBA world title,” said Hearn.
“Who is Akhmadaliev” said Gareth A. Davies.
Hearn might as well start preparing for the WBA belt to be stripped from Inoue as he is unlikely to fight Akhmadaliev. He is too dangerous. It will be interesting to see if the WBA chooses to strip Naoya because he is a popular fighter, making their organization look good to hold on to their belt. Replacing him with the lesser-known Akhmadaliev is less desirable for the WBA.
Like Canelo Alvarez, Inoue stopped taking risky fights years ago and now just plays it safe. Fighting lesser opposition can’t hurt him like Nonito Donaire did in their first fight. Inoue broke his nose and fractured his right orbital bone. Inoue dishes out well, but he doesn’t take shots very well.
