FOUR world title fights will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN+ MONDAY at 4:00 ET/1:00 PT
Naoya Inoue will defend his undisputed super bantamweight title against Luis Nery on May 6 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Ring fight for Inoue vs. Fresh Years is scheduled for 6am ET / 11am in the UK, with the event starting at 4am ET / 9am in the UK. The timing is not right for American fans.
Hardly a perfect fit
Perhaps Top Rank figured American fans wouldn’t want to watch this event because Inoue chose Nery, a fighter who had recently been knocked out. He’s the wrong guy for Monster Inoue if he wants to excite American fans for his May 6 event.
Pair Inoue with Luis Alberto Lopez and you’ve got an American audience willing to get up at 4:00 a.m. to watch it.
Top Rank calls it the “biggest boxing event” Japan has ever seen. but it’s not clear why. Nery has already been knocked out by Brandon Figueroa in 2021
The May 6 card isn’t shaping up to be the best, with some good fights, but nothing out of the ordinary to call it the “biggest boxing event” in Japanese history.
The Lopez factor
It was a grueling match for “Monster” Inoue, so it’s no surprise that he chose to stay at 122 rather than move up to 126 and expect to face Luis Alberto Lopez, Raymond Ford, Rey Vargas and Robeisy Ramirez.
“Naoya Inoue is the best fighter in the world, a juvenile man who amazes me every time he steps into the ring. Luis Nery is a tough challenger, but I fully expect Inoue to get the job done in front of over 50,000 fans in the Tokyo Dome,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.
“In addition to this incredible main event, we have a spectacular card headlined by Jason Moloney, a road warrior coming to Japan determined to show that he is the best bantamweight in the world.”
Startup order, start times
(Live on ESPN+, 4:00 ET/1:00 PT)
- Naoya Inoue: 121 3/4 pounds | 55.3 kg vs. Luis Nery: 121 pounds | 54.9 kg (Inoue undisputed junior featherweight world title – 12 rounds, referee: Michael Griffin, referees: Benoit Roussel, Jose Roberto Torres, Adam Height) ESTIMATED STAIR TIME: 7:35 ET/4:35 PT
- Jason Moloney: 117 3/4 pounds | 53.5 kg vs. Yoshiki Takei: 117 3/4 lbs | 53.5 kg (Moloney WBO Bantamweight World Champion – 12 rounds, referee: Steve Willis, referees: Benoit Roussel, Ellis Johnson, Lou Moret) ESTIMATED RING STAIR TIME: 6:25 ET/3:25 PT
- Takuma Inoue: 117 3/4 pounds | 53.5 kg compared to 53.5 kg. Show Ishida: 117 3/4 lbs | 53.5 kg (WBA Bantamweight World Champion Inoue – 12 rounds, referee: Luis Pabon, judges: Pinit Prayadsab, Kazunobu Asao, Michiaki Someya) ESTIMATED STAIR TIME: 5:20 ET/2:20 PT
- Seigo Yuri Akui: 112 pounds | 50.8 kg compared to 50.8 kg. Weight: 112 lbs | 50.8 kg (WBA Flyweight World Champion Akui – 12 rounds, referee: Raul Caiz Jr.) ESTIMATED RING STAIR TIME: 4:10 ET/1:10 PT