By: Sean Crose
He crushed Nonito Donaire in their second battle. He then went on to first school, then wiped out Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight world championship. As corny as it may sound, Naoya Inoue, known as the “Monster” calls himself the monster of the year 2022. That’s why he’s the boxer of the year. And before you disparage this man’s record for fighting a top Donaire in the past or a less-than-stellar colleague in Butler, ask yourself if anyone else has. a year like Inoue?
In a career spanning more than ten years, Inoue of Japan became world champion in three weight classes and now has a record of 24 wins and no losses. Furthermore, all but three of those victories have come in the gap. Inoue, as quite obviously, can hit. Hard. He also ended the show in an extremely impressive style. Just ask Donaire and Butler. In Donaire’s case, Inoue knew he had a fight on his hands, as the future Hall of Famer gave Inoue a great achievement in their first match. However, Inoue quickly took advantage of the opportunity in the rematch, knocking out Donaire in the first game and finishing the respected veteran in the second with powerful strikes.
As for Butler, the British tennis player certainly entered the ring to face Inoue with extreme confidence. However, having tasted Inoue’s strength and skill, the man simply did what he could to continue fighting. He’s almost reached the final bell. Almost. A brutal combination of blows to the head and body sent Butler to the carpet in the eleventh minute. Suffice it to say, he couldn’t beat the count. Looking back at both of Inoue’s fights in 2022, it’s clear that he’s not only a great boxer but also a fighter ready to adapt to the moment.
Example: Inoue let Donaire hit action in their rematch before taking down the former pound-for-pound star in the second. With Butler, however, Inoue was simple, patient and menacing round after round, cutting off rounds, making sure his feet were in place when the time came for him to finish every game. rank. That’s why Inoue is the boxer of the year 2022 – because he not only won the big fights but did it brilliantly.
