12 reasons why Naoya Inoue defines must-see boxing

Naoya Inoue is a four-weight world champion and two-division undisputed champion. He’s a top pound-for-pound fighter — ranked No. 2 by ESPN — and one of the most entertaining and efficient fighters in all of boxing.

You can call him a perfect fighter — effective offense, impressive defense, incredible footwork, balance, power and speed. A few fighters can do all of that well, but Inoue does it with ease.

What makes him elite? Ahead of his fight against Ramon Cardenas at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET), let’s divide Inoue’s game into 12 categories to explain why he’s must-see.

Exceptional skill set

Inoue’s diverse skill set firmly establishes him among the elite in the world of boxing. His hand speed and punching power often cover minor defensive vulnerabilities. His defense is mainly his ability to dominate opponents through sheer offensive brilliance. Inoue constructs fluid combinations, seamlessly transitioning between attacks and counterattacks. He also employs techniques to effectively neutralize incoming punches, including pull and slip counters, high guard traps, check hooks, lateral traps and parries. His defensive responses are efficient and deceptive, setting traps that lead to devastating counters. Inoue frequently shifts between guards. He adopts a high guard to bait opponents into attacking, signaling “hit me” while he sets to counter. At times, he uses a dual low guard, with both hands positioned at chest level, or a hybrid guard (right hand high, left hand low) to appear open and lure opponents into overcommitting, only to intercept them with precisely timed counters.

Adding to his versatility, Inoue occasionally switches to the Philly shell stance, a defensive guard made famous by Floyd Mayweather, in which the lead arm rests across the midsection to block body shots while the back hand guards the chin. This stance lets him counter punches effectively, deflect jabs and right crosses, and block left hooks with minimal exposure. Inoue’s ability to transition between stances, guards and styles while maintaining offensive and defensive awareness speaks to his profound understanding of the sweet science. His adaptability, instinctive timing and precision make him a cerebral tactician with years of experience.

Hand speed and punching power

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Naoya Inoue remains undefeated with TKO win over Stephen Fulton

Naoya Inoue defeats Stephen Fulton by technical knockout to claim the WBO and WBC junior featherweight titles.

Hand speed and punching power are rare gifts in a fighter. Most boxers possess one or the other. But occasionally, the sport is graced by a once-in-a-generation talent with Bruce Lee-like speed and frightening power. Inoue’s physical attributes are enhanced by an elite skill set. An easy comparison can be made to the legendary eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, but Inoue is even scarier because he often does more damage with one punch than most fighters with their full arsenal of combinations.

Inoue is dangerous from the opening bell, and he can unleash short, compact punches with such shocking force that even boxing elites crumble to his hands. In boxing, it’s said that the most dangerous punch is the one you don’t see. However, Inoue has a rare ability to knock out opponents cold even when they see it coming. Watch closely for his blazing-fast jab and rare vertical jab (a punch thrown thumb-up), disrupting his opponent’s rhythm and splitting his guards. His check left hook is deadly against opponents who reach or lunge, while his counter right cross gets perfectly timed and placed over an incoming jab. Inoue reacts quickly, often faster than his opponent can think. Any of his fights can end in the blink of an eye.

Champion across multiple weight classes

With a perfect record of 29 wins, 0 losses and 26 KOs, Inoue has etched out a legacy that places him among boxing’s greats. “The Monster” has dominated four weight divisions, collecting titles like refrigerator magnets and leaving a trail of challengers. With 23 championship fights under his belt, he’s not just winning, he’s conquering.

He has won undisputed championships at junior featherweight and bantamweight and titles at junior bantamweight and junior flyweight.

Elite ‘ring IQ’

“Ring IQ” is often thrown around in boxing, but what does it mean? One clear sign of high ring IQ is a fighter who makes everything in the ring look smooth and effortless. Inoue’s ring IQ allows him to adjust quickly without instruction. He changes tactics midround, adapts quickly to different styles and always seems two steps ahead of competitors. A considerable part of that comes down to anticipation. Inoue doesn’t just react, he predicts actions and provides proper reactions. Inoue reads his opponent’s position and times his rhythm. Inoue picks up on his opponent’s tendencies and exploits poor defensive habits.

Spatial awareness is another key component. High-IQ fighters know precisely where they are at all times. Inoue controls distance beautifully, keeping himself outside his opponent’s range until he’s ready to put a hand on the opponent. That ability to manage space allows him to attack when he elects to and avoid danger when he decides not to engage.

Then there’s decision-making under pressure. The best fighters don’t panic — they stay calm, cool and calculated. Inoue processes chaos in real time and understands when to press, pivot, slip, counter or tie up. And more often than not, he chooses correctly. That split-second clarity is what separates excellent fighters from elite ones. Inoue’s ring IQ isn’t some unknowable concept; it’s in how he moves, adjusts, reacts and dominates every aspect of the ring.

The perfect finisher

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Inoue knocked down for first time, comes back to win by KO

Naoya Inoue gets knocked down for the first time in his career, but he rallies for a big KO victory over Luis Nery.

Inoue makes every second of his fights a must-watch event. Watching him close in on a finish is like witnessing a rocket launch. Just explosive. Everyone knows a hurt fighter is still dangerous, but Inoue never lets success cloud his fundamental judgment. For him, caution is instinctual. Before he finishes an opponent, he smartly walks that daunting line between aggression and composure. His eyes are fixated on his wounded opponents; his punches are sharp and spot-on. Inoue doesn’t show any mercy on his opponents — he systematically destroys them, often before the crowd even realizes the end is near. Most of his battles end suddenly and violently because he is the perfect finisher, an ideal cold-blooded killer from inside the ropes.

Impeccable balance

Boxing, at its core, is about disrupting balance — yours, your opponent’s and the physical forces between you. Few understand true mastery over boxing principles like Inoue. His balance isn’t just exceptional, it’s majestic. Comparable to what gymnast Simone Biles brought to her Olympic floor routines, Inoue’s control over his center of gravity is the unseen fundamental that ignites his dominance. With stout legs and powerful calves that act as anchors, Inoue shifts his body weight with sublime sufficiency. His feet stay close to the canvas, minimizing wasted motion and maximizing productivity. Every movement and punch has a reason. This equilibrium allows him to unleash power from any range or position.

Inoue’s balance is more than just a tool for control. It’s a foundation supported by good fundamental habits in his footwork, the overlooked detail behind his superb agility. Offensively, he glides forward with calculated aggression, staying close to his opponent as if standing extremely close to a bonfire without being burned. Defensively, he pivots and escapes with grace. His hands, mind and feet move harmoniously, making every step a study in kinetic intelligence.

Electrifying fighter

Inoue might not look like your typical prizefighter at 5-foot-5 and 122 pounds, but his 67.5-inch wingspan and sharp precision tell a different story. With his calm, respectful demeanor, it’s almost hard to believe he’s one of the best in the sport. Inoue’s character makeup is a fascinating contrast. His soft-spokenness masks a relentless intensity that erupts whenever he enters the ring. There’s an undeniable magnetism to him, an aura and a confidence that never crosses into arrogance. He seems to respect every opponent and never underestimates anyone, yet he becomes something else entirely when the first bell rings. Outside the ring, he’s composed and kind. Inside, he transforms into a human wrecking ball. That ability to switch from charming to chilling, from grace to violence, makes Inoue one of the most electrifying fighters in the sport today.

Never-ending stamina

Inoue’s conditioning is one of the defining traits that sets him far apart from other champions. He maintains elite speed, explosive power and sharp technical form from the opening bell to the final round. This is in direct correlation to the discipline he employs in training his body to be a lethal weapon. His stamina is a blend of endurance, mental toughness and efficiency. In 2019, Inoue fought the fight of the year with Nonito Donaire through a fractured orbital bone, finishing strong in victory. His training is that of someone built back in the day for 15-round fights, even though the modern limit is 12. This rare combination of explosiveness, technical, tactical precision and determination illuminates Inoue’s world-class stamina and place among the sport’s elite three on the pound-for-pound list.

Vicious body puncher

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Naoya Inoue secures 10th-round TKO of Marlon Tapales

Marlon Tapales can’t beat the count as Naoya Inoue secures the undisputed junior featherweight title.

Ask any fighter if they’d prefer to be knocked out by a devastating body shot or a clean head shot, and nine times out of 10, they’ll choose the head shot. The reason? A knockout to the head is fast and often painless at the moment, sometimes even unrealized. But a body shot? That’s a slow, cruel shutdown. Body punchers such as Inoue see a target on the midsection and seek it to end matches on the spot. His commitment to breaking down opponents from the inside goes far beyond strategy. It is usually intentional, but sometimes it’s instinctual. He reads split-second openings with hawk-like vision, uncovering the slightest mistakes and exploiting them with speed, power and accuracy. I’ve seen Inoue land a body shot firsthand while sitting ringside; it doesn’t just hurt, it paralyzes his opponents. It handcuffs breath. It depletes the gas tank. A head shot might shut off the lights, but a perfectly placed liver shot instantly pulls the plug on the lungs, the legs and, without question, the will.

Crisp combinations

Throwing combinations requires stability, solid footwork, exceptional balance and a deep technical understanding of boxing styles. Every punch a fighter throws leaves them momentarily exposed, so precision and timing are needed. Combinations — at least successful ones — aren’t a flurry of sloppy punches. They’re well-trained assaults tailored to dismantle various defensive concepts. Inoue’s offense is nearly impossible to defend. Each punch that lands is stiff and deadly, like the one-two combination he often throws in rapid succession that overwhelms opponents before they can reset or catches them while they are thinking.

Great combination punchers trust their chin, but more importantly, they know to extend a combination when an opponent is backing up on shaky legs, stunned by the first shot or exposed due to weak defense. A lack of jab defense is one of the earliest signs of a leaky defense. If a fighter can’t neutralize the jab, the door swings open for power shots to follow. Inoue exploits this masterfully, slipping punches over and under incoming jabs, using those moments to set up combinations. It’s similar to a seasoned actor delivering unscripted lines that somehow make perfect sense.

Quick first step

In boxing, a fighter’s first step from outside into midrange — the firing range — can be difficult. It can be a challenge to land a clean shot without missing your window of opportunity or walking into a punch. Think of it like an old classic Western showdown in which the quick-draw gunslinger, the Lone Ranger or Wyatt Earp always seemingly has the upper hand in a gunfight. In boxing, that first step is your draw. It’s your edge. The timing is the glue to everything working inside those four corners. Inoue’s first step is instant. He doesn’t just move, he times his opponent’s positioning and rhythm, slipping inside the guard before the foe can set up. He closes the distance with an irritating rhythm, then darts in with blistering combinations and moves away just as fast. Inoue’s first-step quickness plants seeds of doubt in his opponents, forcing them to become hesitant and anxious and constantly brace for something they can’t see coming. That hesitation makes all the difference and fuels Inoue’s large offensive arsenal.

Global recognition

Many people fail to realize that global recognition isn’t solely tied to ticket sales in boxing. As technology, social media and streaming platforms evolve, fans no longer need to be physically present to witness greatness. Despite many of Inoue’s fights airing live from Japan in the early hours of morning in the U.S., his knockout reels instantly go viral across the globe. His return to America isn’t just about fighting on U.S. soil. It’s about becoming a local superstar here in America. Much like Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Inoue has the star power and electrifying style to win over American fans. With no U.S. heavyweight champion boxing in America and Mexican superstar boxer Canelo Alvarez seemingly nearing the twilight of his career, U.S. boxing is searching for its next crossover superstar, and I believe Inoue fits the bill perfectly. At 32, Inoue holds the potential to solidify his global recognition and a unique opportunity to be embraced by American audiences the way Pacquiao was. The Filipino fighter became an iconic figure in the U.S. and worldwide. Inoue is on that same path to global superstardom with the skills, appeal and perfect timing to take America by storm.

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