Naoya Inoue is reportedly set to face Paul Butler in December for the undisputed bantamweight title.

By: Sean Crose

Canelo Alvarez. Jermell Charlo. Devin Haney. What do these three men have in common? They are all undisputed champions in their respective divisions. Canelo owns super middleweight, middleweight Charlo and lightweight Haney. Undisputed champions are appreciated not only for their achievements, but also for the clarity they bring to the often confusing contemporary world of boxing. Ask someone on the street who the heavyweight champion of the world is and you may not get an answer – because arguably there is no answer. There are two titles, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, but no supreme champion. However, ask fans who the super-middleweight, middleweight and junior middleweight champions are, and you’ll be able to get three clear and undeniable answers.

Again, undisputed champions are great for boxing. That’s why the news that WBC, IBF and WBA bantamweights Naoya Inoue will likely face WBO bantamweight player Paul Butler this December should be good news for match fans. Although that particular match has yet to be signed, Mike Coppinger of ESPN reports both sides have agreed on an undisputed match on December 13 in Japan that, if true, will make hopes a reality.

Inoue needs no introduction for fighting fans. The 29-year-old, known by the nickname “The Monster”, has been attacking opponents since his professional career began in the fall of 2012. This is a man who is not only successful. attack on the ring but also completely destroy. Only 3 of Inoue’s 23 opponents survived until the final ring. Inoue’s final fight was the total destruction of Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in the June rematch of their exciting 2019 battle. To say that Inoue would be favored for Butler best, in Inoue’s home country Japan for that matter, might be an understatement.

Butler, however, should not simply shrug. Bestowed with the awesome nickname of the “Baby Face Assassin,” the 33-year-old Brit has not lost a match since 2018. And, despite the WBO world title being awarded to him ( he was an interim driver at the time) then stripping John Riel Casimero of the world championship belt doesn’t mean Butler doesn’t work for it. Indeed, Casimero is said to have lost the world championship because he or his team will not face Butler, who has been obligated by Casimero. Now Butler 34-2 is on the verge of getting the chance of a lifetime. However, defeating a monster would not be an easy task.