By: Sean Crose
A bit of bad news:
Undisputed former bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue withdrew from a fight against WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton on May 7 due to a training injury. According to ESPN, the plan is to reschedule the match so it can take place in Japan next summer. The injury is said to be less serious, which is certainly good news not only for Inoue but also for Fulton and boxer fans in general.
An Inoue-Fulton match is a big deal in that it pits two of the sport’s best fighters against each other for major world titles. Inoue is gaining weight to lift Fulton’s 122 lb belt. That can be a challenge, however. Fulton is sleek, extremely talented and of course bigger than Inoue. However, Inoue, known as the “Monster” had a skill as good as him that was hard to hit. This is a really hard match to call. This fight is relevant for a reason.
By the way, Inoue was declared Boxing insider Warrior of the Year 2022. However, it is doubtful that Fulton, who is nicknamed “Cool Boy Steph,” will be intimidated by that fact.
