Boxing
Blue pill or red pill: the future of Nayya Inoue
Published
7 months agoon
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
You may like
“I think one or two more fights,” Ramirez told Fight Hub TV when asked about his long-term plans. “I have been practicing this sport for a long time.”
Ramirez, 33, said that while he still wants to continue his career for now, he is already thinking about how his career will end, not how long it can be extended. Ramirez said he has achieved key goals in the sport, including becoming world champion in two divisions, but still wants to perform at the highest level before he retires.
That pursuit begins with Benavidez, a fight that Ramirez believes will define his status and push his name further to the top of the sport.
“I will beat him. That’s my plan, to fight Opetaia,” said Gilberto about his desire to fight former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
It’s a shoot-for-the-stars plan for Ramirez, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight Opetaia. The biggest obstacle is not only the fight itself, but also where Jai Opetaia currently sits. Jai is now the face of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
At the same time, Ramirez hinted at one last twist before his retirement. When asked about moving up again, he left the door open to a possible heavyweight fight, even admitting that he may not be the biggest fighter in the division.
“Why not?” Ramirez talked about moving up to heavyweight. “That would be amazing.”
If Zurdo loses to Benavidez, his plan for Opetaia will likely evaporate and he may just go straight to the heavyweight event for one last payday before he suspends them.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most crucial fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Boxing
Eddie Hearn expects Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 fight to be canceled and replaced with world title fight
Published
3 hours agoon
April 28, 2026
The final decision may come after the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch drama ends.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to fight professionally more than 10 years after their first meeting, with the event streaming live on Netflix and taking place on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
In recent weeks the duel was in doubt, after Mayweather stated that the fight would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist that it must be a fully sanctioned fight.
Since it is currently unknown whether this will actually come to fruition, this has probably given the clearest signal that this will no longer happen.
Conversation with FightHypepromoter Eddie Hearn said he thinks Netflix can now focus on the WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“It’s all a mess. I’m surprised Netflix got into this whole circus… Netflix is modern to boxing, but they need to be a little more solid in the routine because you can’t actually call the fight and it just falls by the wayside and it just doesn’t look great.”
“NO [I don’t believe it will happen]not now. Netflix is only going to do so many fights and the Benn-Garcia fight is now said to be on September 12 or whenever that happens, so obviously this is the fight to replace Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If it happened Mayweather-Pacquiao, they are committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen they will want another fight and from the sound of it it will be Garcia vs. Benn.”
The world title fight between Garcia and Benn has been widely discussed this month, and if Hearn is right, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting again.
“I think my size and youth should be a gigantic advantage. It gives me an even better chance to win,” Nakatani told The Ring.
Inoue’s reluctance to make the jump to 126 pounds at featherweight may be the most truthful admission of his physical limitations.
Inoue has fought fighters who hydrated to be hefty, but Nakatani is elevated. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents end up with confined time as they have to rush to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit outside and throw a punch without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers support this belief on paper. Nakatani will enter with a three-inch height advantage, a slight reach advantage and a five-year age difference. He also has natural size from climbing three weight classes, which he plans to exploit for the full distance rather than chasing an early finish.
“This fight will 100% be a war and I think I will win by decision once I overcome everything Inoue throws at me,” Nakatani said.
In his December victory over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a fierce fight in which both men landed heavily, taking 273 punches in a back-and-forth fight that went the distance. He showed toughness, but also suggested he could get hit when exchanges open up.
It’s not that Inoue is afraid of fighting a bigger opponent, but more that he is a perfectionist who knows that when you lose your physical advantage, you have to rely completely on your endurance. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who can actually make Inoue look petite in the ring.
Gilberto Ramirez leaves with two fights left
‘USYK IS SCARED!!’ – Agit Kabayel UNHAPPY over CHAMP TITLE SHOT SNUB
Charlie Edwards Breaks Down And PREDICTS Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani, Slams Bam Rodriguez
Trending
-
Opinions & Features1 year agoPacquiao vs marquez competition: History of violence
-
MMA1 year agoDmitry Menshikov statement in the February fight
-
Results1 year agoStephen Fulton Jr. becomes world champion in two weight by means of a decision
-
Results1 year agoKeyshawn Davis Ko’s Berinchyk, when Xander Zayas moves to 21-0
-
Video1 year agoFrank Warren on Derek Chisora vs Otto Wallin – ‘I THOUGHT OTTO WOULD GIVE DEREK PROBLEMS!’
-
Analysis1 year agoRobert Garcia discusses the debate on the greatest Mexican warrior in history
-
Video1 year ago‘DEREK CHISORA RETIRE TONIGHT!’ – Anthony Yarde PLEADS for retirement after WALLIN
-
Results1 year agoLive: Catterall vs Barboza results and results card



