Following his impressive win over Juno Nakatani, Naoya Inoue is being linked to a fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, and fellow pound-for-pound title challenger Shakur Stevenson has shared his predictions for the proposed fight.

Inoue defended his undisputed super bantamweight crown with a unanimous decision victory over Nakatani a month ago at the Tokyo Dome, which cemented his claim to the number one spot in the super bantamweight division, especially after Oleksandr Usyk’s close shave against Rico Verhoeven.

After the Japanese star cleared out the 122-pound division, fight fans are now discussing the prospect of facing unified super flyweight champion Rodriguez before his planned move up to featherweight.

I’m talking to Boxing in the match roomWBO super-lightweight champion Stevenson believes “Bam” could prove to be Inoue’s “Kryptonite,” pointing out that Inoue was knocked down by left-hander Luis Nery and that Rodriguez, who is also a southpaw, has the power to knock the undefeated feeling to its knees.

“I like Bam, I can’t fight Bam. I know Bam, Bam is my guy. I think Inoue is a great fighter, but I think Bam might be his Kryptonite.

“I saw him [Inoue] get dropped by the southpaw and I think Bam hits so tough he could drop him too.”

Rodriguez is already ready to move up from super flyweight when next weekend at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, he will fight for the WBA bantamweight world title of Antonio Vargas. It is believed that if he succeeds, the undefeated American will subsequently demand an attack on Inoue and move up one more league to make it happen.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said preliminary talks have taken place and that his man Rodriguez is more than willing to travel to Japan for the fight.

Sean Zittel says sources expect Beterbiev’s third fight with Bivol to take place in Russia, not Saudi Arabia

According to reporter Sean Zittel, the third fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol may take place in Russia, not Saudi Arabia. Zittel says sources familiar with the ongoing discussions expect the trilogy fight to be backed by Russian boxing officials if the rivals attempt another championship fight.

“Betterbiev and Bivol will probably push through the trilogy in Russia without Turki’s involvement and without funding from Saudi Arabia. Umar Kremlev and the Russian boxing federation that runs the IBA will do it,” Zittel said. “This is what will probably be pushed through, and the next one will be Beterbiev-Bivol 3 in Russia.”

The reports come amid a broader discussion about David Benavidez’s future and why his team is considering alternative options at both featherlight heavyweight and cruiserweight.

According to Zittel, Benavidez’s team believes Bivol remains its preferred target. However, if Bivol and Beterbiev go for a third fight, the path to the fight could be closed for the rest of the year.

Zittel also said Jose Benavidez Sr. has asked the WBC to make David Benavidez the mandatory challenger to cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian, giving his son another path to the title if top featherlight heavyweight fights remain unavailable.

“Their number one and two options are Bivol for the title and then Beterbiev if they can’t get Bivol. But if they fight each other, then you go to cruiserweight for the WBC belt,” Zittel said, recalling talks with Jose Benavidez Sr.

Neither Beterbiev nor Bivol have officially announced plans for a trilogy fight. The two rivals had split their previous encounters, with Beterbiev winning the first fight before Bivol took revenge in the rematch.

Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.

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Last updated: 31/05/2026 at 23:56

Moses Itauma is well on his way to a world title shot and could soon be widely recognized as Britain’s outstanding heavyweight. Now Dillian Whyte has revealed whether he believes the 21-year-old will be able to defeat two-time world champion Anthony Joshua after facing both men.

Whyte collided with Joshua in a memorable battle in 2015, revisiting their amateur rivalry. After a hard-fought fight, “AJ” scored a dramatic knockout victory to capture the coveted British heavyweight title.

Ten years later, 37-year-old Whyte tried to thwart another rising star, but was quickly outclassed by youthful Itauma, who dispatched “The Body Snatcher” within two minutes of the opening round.

However, despite his recent first-round loss to Itauma, Whyte said iFL Television that he could still pick Joshua to win if he were to face the Kent phenom, but added that it all depends on how Joshua looks in his fight next month.

“My first answer would be no, [Itauma doesn’t beat Anthony Joshua]but I think we’ll have to wait and see what’s left for AJ, how he’s feeling mentally, if he’s recovered from what he’s been through recently and how much ambition he has left to fight.

“Obviously he made some changes. He went to Usyk, trying to look for something else, so let’s see if it works and if it works for him, we’ll have to see. AJ sometimes goes crazy, one minute he’s on track and the next he’s not, so let’s see.”

Joshua fights Albanian Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, looking to kick off his long-awaited showdown with arch-rival Tyson Fury.

As for Itauma, he is expected to return in August and his rise to the top of the division will continue. Filip Hrgovic remains the leader, assuming the Croatian is in good shape after his recent three-round clash with Dave Allen.