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Blue pill or red pill: the future of Nayya Inoue

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Image: Blue Pill or Red Pill: The Future of Naoya Inoue

Nayya Inoue is dazzling. His speed, power, mastery – makes the world champions look ordinary. ESPN announced even in July 2023: “Nayya Inoue is not simply the best boxer in the world-he is great all time, who still adds chapters to his legendary career.”

But history does not bend to emphasize rollers or polls. He bends into the truth. The truth is that Inoue’s greatest achievements so far are won with Nonito Donaire-Legend from the prizine past, which has already been beaten before Inoue reached him-and a very good win over Stephen Fulton, the best warrior, but not such an elite name that defines the era. These victories are impressive. They are not legendary yet.

Broner warning

Boxing saw this film earlier. In 2013, Sports Illustrated led the headline: “Adrien Broner is another great thing in boxing.” The media, promoters and fans anointed Broner as the heir to Mayweather, Sports Savior, the future of boxing.

Then Marcos Maidana came. One night was everything that Broner’s aura collapsed. Hype was real until he was.

This is an inoue warning. Yes, it seems to be a vision test better than ever Broner. Yes, he has discipline and dedication that Broner was missing. But until he faces a warrior who can really threaten his aura, we will not know if the noise is real – whether the story will assemble him along with those who looked insurmountable until.

Shakur puzzle

For Inoue, this threat has the name: Shakur Stevenson.

Shakur is the opposite of everyone who fought Inoue. Does not give holes. He did not deal with pressure. It makes Punchars miss and then make them doubts. He is elevated, long, defensive, patient – an ideal antidote for aggression and time inoue.

If Inoue can solve this puzzle, yes, it becomes like ESPN already called him: the great all time. But until then he did not arrive.

The problem with “did it enough”

Some fans and writers already claim that Inoue does not need 135, that he has already reached its size. But this is not trust in Inoue. It’s protection. This is low proof that they think that he will lose with Shakur and wants to stop history before the truth appears.

It’s like asking a judge to blow up a whistle during the break, because your team is ahead of us. You don’t want to play the second half. But the size lives in the second half.

Legend standard

Michael Jordan did not stop when he was a star. He did not satisfy “good enough”. He wanted piston. Celtics wanted. He wanted Lakers. He wanted to climb up until there was nothing to prove.

In boxing, size requires the same. Pacquiao did not stop in a fly weight. Mayweather did not stop at the Super Feather Wweight.

Terenka Crawford did not stop when he was undisputed at the age of 140. He did not announce the complete. He went up, cleaned the welterweight weight, and when the biggest challenge appeared – Canelo at the age of 168 – he jumped two divisions and took them. Crawford did not satisfy “good enough”. He climbed until nothing was left until every doubt was silenced.

This is a standard. This is how legends arise.

Nayya Inoue must follow the same path. If he really believes in his size, he should be willing to face Shakur Stevenson at the age of 135.

Verdict: great, but he has not arrived yet

Nayya Inoue is already great. Nobody denies it. He has statistics, skills, domination and aura. But history does not write it as legend until it enters a lightweight and face the puzzle waiting for him.

Legends have fans who say, “Who is next?”

Good warriors have fans who say “enough.”

The size inspires confidence.

“Good enough” inspires protection.

And so the choice is yours.

If you think that your warrior has reached his ceiling and you are satisfied with watching how he collects victory on his current weight until he retires, he is respected: take a blue pill.

If, on the other hand, you have no doubt that his ability to overcome 135, then take a red pill – and see how deeply Shakura’s rabbit hole can go down.

Last updated 26.09.2025

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Boxing

Ryan Garcia’s rematch with Devin Haney will take place on September 5 at Allegiant Stadium

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Haney vs Garcia 2

Devin Haney Promotions says a rematch with Ryan Garcia is scheduled for September 5 at Allegiant Stadium, potentially setting the stage for the rivalry to resume later this year.

The claim appeared on social media from Haney’s promotional website, pointing to a second meeting on the same card in Las Vegas two weeks before Floyd Mayweather’s Sept. 19 rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

If the date holds, the fight will bring the two rivals together again more than two years after their cluttered first meeting in April 2024.

In that fight, Garcia scored multiple knockdowns en route to a decision victory, which was later ruled a no contest after testing positive for Ostarine.

Haney has since returned to form and won the WBO welterweight title with a decision victory over Brian Norman Jr.

Garcia vs. Haney II

Despite the controversy surrounding the original result, the demand for a rematch never went away.

Few in boxing doubt that the Garcia vs. Haney II would make the most sense next. Both fighters currently hold world titles, which means that if the fight goes ahead, the rivalry will develop into a welterweight unification.

The matchup has been the focus of the most significant conversations in the division in recent months.

As World Boxing News reported earlier this month, the welterweight title picture around Garcia and Haney has gradually narrowed as other options narrowed due to mandatory obligations and injuries.

Garcia has also been outspoken about a possible fight with Shakur Stevenson, and Haney has been linked to talks with Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

However, these moves could easily be considered a smokescreen if both sides are focused on a rematch.

Cris Esqueda | Golden Boy

Unfinished business

Garcia, the WBC champion after a convincing victory over Mario Barrios, would likely enter the rematch as the favorite despite losses from the first meeting.

The Recent York State Athletic Commission later changed the result to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive, but the way he repeatedly dropped Haney in the fight still affects how many people will see the second fight.

In his conversation with him, Romero also bluntly assessed the competition The Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.

“They could have fought a hundred times. Ryan takes him down a hundred times.”

This view may be extreme, but it underscores a broader sense that this rivalry is still unresolved.

With Haney Promotions now pointing to September 5 at Allegiant Stadium, the spotlight is back on Garcia vs. Haney II, which makes the most sense for both men right now.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Canelo offered an immediate title fight to the recent world champion: “I will show that I am better”

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Canelo offered immediate title fight by new world champion: “I’ll show I’m better”

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is preparing for fight number 69 after suffering just the third defeat of his career last year.

The Mexican icon was vacated last year’s undisputed super middleweight world title by Terence Crawford, his first loss at 168 pounds and third overall after losses to Floyd Mayweather in 2013 and Dmitry Bivol in 2022.

Because Crawford’s retirement means a rematch for Canelo, he has announced his return for a September event in Saudi Arabia, a fight that boxing broker Turki Alalshikh says will result in a world title shot.

IN interview with Bowks talking about BoutsChristian Mbilli – who was promoted from interim to full champion when Crawford was stripped of the belt – made it clear he wanted to be the fighter on the opposite side.

“For me, my goal now is to fight Canelo because I was [the] perennial WBC number one contender. Number one fighter, number one in the WBC for Canelo. Now I have to show that I am number one in the division.

Mbilli fought on the Canelo–Crawford undercard, drawing with Crawford’s stablemate Lester Martinez to retain the belt. The Cameroon-born Frenchman said in the same interview that he intended to have a rematch with Martinez in the future.

The fight with Alvarez has no obstacles, but there is a lot of weight behind it: Turki Alalshikh, Canelo’s good position in the WBC and his number one ranking, and this is undoubtedly the most lucrative option for Mbilla. If a Mexican wants to prove himself, he has the opportunity to do so.

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Sources: Torrez v. Sanchez title eliminator (knee).

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Sources close to the situation told ESPN on Wednesday that undefeated IBF heavyweight title qualifier Richard Torrez Jr. against Frank Sanchez on March 28, will be sidelined after Sanchez’s injury.

Torrez Jr. (14-0, 12 KO) was scheduled to face Sanchez (27-1, 18 KO, 1 No Contest) in the PPV opener of Sebastian Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title defense against Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. However, Cuban Sanchez was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury. Sources tell ESPN that inflammation of Sanchez’s surgically repaired right knee will force the fight to be postponed to a later date.

Torrez Jr. and Sanchez are ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively, in ESPN’s heavyweight rankings. The winner would become the mandatory challenger to the title of Aleksander Usyk, who currently holds the IBF, WBC and WBA titles.

Usyk will put his WBC title on the line against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. Usyk recently stated that he has three fights left before he calls it a career, and the winner of Torrez and Sanchez is not on his list.

“Listen, Rico [Verhoeven] this is the first. Secondly, who will win, [WBO champion Fabio] Wardley or [Daniel] Dubois and the third fight is my friend, the greedy belly Tyson Fury,” Usyk told Inside the Ring.

Torrez Jr. beat Tomas Salk last November, and Sanchez defeated Ramon Olivas Echeverria via third-round TKO in February.

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