Opinions & Features
Remembering James “Black Gold” Shuler
“If a man can fill the gap between life and death, if he can live after death, maybe he was a great man.” – James Dean
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the tragic death of James Shuler, the best pretender in the mediumweight division, a two -time amateur champion and a member of the American Olympic team. More years have passed since the Night of the Shulera Motorcycle Wreck in 1986, than he was given to him to influence the sport he loved; He was only 26 when he died, and for more than three decades of his death, boxing felt his absence.
“James’ death was destructive,” says Shulera’s cousin, Percy “Burster” Custus. “James was just a good man. He lived such a brief life. It was almost as if he did the good things he did and came out before anyone remembered bad things. “
Custus is the owner and trainer at the James Shuler Memorial gym in Philadelphia, about three miles from the former place of the Joe Frazier gym in northern Philly, where Shuler began boxing. Shuler escaped from the reality of the North Philly housing project, in which he grew up and stood out in sport, but was drawn into the cruel world of boxing, simply passing by the Frazier gym a day after the meeting. Fate was playing at the early stage of Shuler and never really stopped.
Shuler fell into the crotch in the middle of a huge American boxing wave. Before the American success at the 1976 Games in Montreal, about $ 16,000 received an American amateur boxing program a year. Three years later, the program was flooded almost USD 800,000 for money, and the amount was to exceed $ 1 million a year by the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980. At that time, Shuler developed a reported amateur record of 178 wins compared to six failures.
At the age of 19, Shuler won both gold gloves in Pennsylvania and domestic gold gloves, and then won the silver medal at the Mr. AM matches in 1979. But he didn’t finish. “We went to Novel York, and James went through [1979] World Championships, as if it were nothing, said Custus. Actually The Novel York Times Called Shuler “the most gone boxer” of the tournament. He chased greatness and pinched her heels, but 1980 was a year that threw many amateur boxing dreams.
In January, President Jimmy Carter called the US to boycott the upcoming Moscow Olympic Games, if the Soviet army did not withdraw from Afghanistan. Because the soldiers still in place two months later the boycott became official, ending the Olympic dream for hundreds of elite athletes. But even more tragic was what took place a few days before this announcement, when 22 members of the American boxing team, on the way to Warsaw to the amateur tournament, died in an air accident in Poland. Shuler was supposed to be in this flight, but he hurt his nose in a car accident and decided not to go.
Amateur boxing moved on, like the Olympic Games. For some reason, also Olympic rehearsals, and Shuler won his place in a non -existent team in June. It was unfair, but he was well in Shulera’s narrative because he has already defeated Armando Martinez, eventually the winner of the Golden Medal in Moscow. Even the nickname Shulera, “Black Gold”, reflected the fact that he was preferred to win the Olympic tournament.
With his dreams of being an Olympian in the past, Shuler returned to Philadelphia and the gym, where it all began. When Joe Frazier decided to start managing fighters later in the same year, he initially signed two teenage perspectives: his son Marvis and James Shuler. A few days later, Shuler had his first professional match under the banner “Smokin” Joe Inc. ” And it didn’t take much time before Shuler won a special reputation.
Custus said: “There was a time when we were somewhere in Novel York and James boxed in the series. James fights with this guy, hits him and knock him out of the ring. Then he helped him back to the ring like a gentleman. Everyone thought it was so special, but he was such a guy James. “
Being this life is wicked and corresponds to the kindness with the frigid, slowly leisurely madness towards its destiny began.
Fighting became Shulera’s life, but when he signed a contract with the promoter butch Lewis in his career, because he constrained himself to competing for backlighting with Michael Spinks duels, and Spinks was relatively inactive. So Shuler turned his family car into a taxi. “I had to support my daughters,” he said later. Nevertheless, Shuler found himself in the top ten races of the average ring of the ring in 1982 and remained there, looking for a shot at the world champion, the wonderful Marvin Hagler.
Within almost five years, in the ranks of Pro, the Top of Shulera withdrew the fringes of the NABF belt from “Sugar” Ray Seales, the age of the golden Olympic medalist from 1972, which was already chewed by the medium weight scene. She followed the quality of victory over Norberto Sabater and Clint Jackson, but he was disturbed by the fact that the stars of the 1984 Olympic boxing team signing Lucrative Pro contracts, while he remained relatively anonymous. What pushed him to claim the title of the world was James Kinchen’s squeak in early 1985, just two months before “The Fight”, this is a legendary clash between the wonderful Marvin and “The Motor City Cobra”.
After the brutal stop of Hagler “Hit Man” Hearns, the latter wanted a rematch as soon as possible. But they both lost a little tonight, and the injuries remained. In addition, Bob Arum from Top Rank claimed that he could not sell the idea that the rematch would end differently, that the return required a certain construction. This led to the fact that Hagler faced John Mugabie, while Hearns was to face Shuleer on the card. Until then, James had 22-0 with 16 knockouts and won with one of Hagler’s sparring partners, Jerry Holly. The card was still postponed because of Hagler’s injury and the recent manager of Shuler, Joe Hand, he was worried that his charge could occur to vine. But Shuler’s coach, Eddie Futch, remained confident, calling him “one of the best guarded secrets of boxing.” Shulera’s great chance to leave the shadows was finally established on March 10, 1986.
It is worth noting that in a subtle gesture, which would unfortunately become prophetic, Shuler gave the enthusiast of Hearns motorcycles a racing helmet during one of their press conferences from 1985.
Already a favorite from 5 to 2, Hearns received from Arum a bonus $ 500,000, if he stopped Shulera in less than six rounds. And Hagler’s band seemed to think that it was likely. “If Hearns has a head straight and if his right hand healed, he should throw Shulera into two parts,” said Pat Petronelli, co-chairman of Hagler. “Shuler eats his right hands.”
It just doesn’t make sense to have one life, and even shortened, crowded in 73 seconds, but that’s what James Shulera remembers.
Hearns, who often started at a leisurely pace when he sensed danger, threw full strength at Shuler moments in battle. Expecting a more technical boxing match of Tommy, Shuler was to chase, which led him to Hearns’s strength. The same right hand, which Petronelli predicted, broke straight by the guardian Shulera and folded him back after just a minute of action.
“I left myself open,” Shuler told reporters. “I just caught me. There is no excuse. When he hit me first, I thought, “I shoot, I can take him from him.” And then he hit me again. I think I was wrong. “
In addition to the sting, which he first lost, Shuler was in a good mood and talked about a robust return. But it wasn’t.
Exactly a week after the fight, Shuler bought a red Kawasaki motorcycle and was on his way home when he collided with a trailer. Shuler was lying under a larger vehicle, and the observers began to shout: “Champ! Yo, Champ! “There was no answer. Shuler died at the scene.
Three days before the fight, Philadelphia Inquirer The writer Sarajane Freligigh wrote an article entitled “Philly Kid, whose time has come.” Exactly three weeks later, on March 28, Fraper’s article was the header: “Boxer’s Requiem: Shuler’s Corner is now empty.”
Hearns flew to Philadelphia for Shuler’s funeral and suggested that he would place the NABF belt, which he won from him in the shuler casket. Shulera’s family rejected the offer. “Hearns, deserved this belt,” said James Darryl’s brother. “This belt belongs to him. I am sure that James would like him to keep this belt and defend him well. “
Bob Arum said: “[James] He approached my room in the hotel day after [Hearns] Fight and thanked me personally. He is the only warrior who did it. “
It was a brief career, but Shuler still waves in boxing, and today the waves are moved further than his life. Gym Joe Frazier was once called a “temple, a university saving children, saving adults”, and since 1993 James Shuler Memorial Gym is seeking the same work.
“Joe [Frazier’s] The gym is the only gym I’ve ever went to, unless they took us for sparring, “said Custus. “I went to the gym in North Philly, so the children would have no trouble in West Philly.” And now Philly has a recent pugilistic unthreatening haven, James Shuler Memorial Gymwhich would not be there if it wasn’t for Shuler’s death.
A knowledgeable boy to move away
From the fields where the glory does not remain,
And early, although the laurel is growing
Put faster than a rose.
– “He is an athlete dying teenage”, AE Housman, 1896 – Patrick Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URZSBLMNZUE
When boxing became a total obsession in the mid-1990s, it was tough to imagine that the likes of Barrera, Naz and Tito Trinidad could ever be replaced as my favorite fighters. In the following years, no other boxer captured my imagination as much as those who drew me so deeply into this sport. That changed when Naoya “The Monster” Inoue appeared. The juvenile genius’s vigorous style, devastating body attack and humble attitude embodied everything there is to like about a boxer.
Living on the other side of the East China Sea, a trip to see the Japanese “monster” from the side seemed doable, but the time was never right: close enough to be within reach, but far enough that it wasn’t possible over the course of a weekend. So, when does a blockbuster fight with another undefeated multi-weight champion take place? Junto “Big Bang” Nakatani scheduled for the extended May Day holiday, the stars finally aligned. The training partner eagerly jumped on board and the superfight expedition suddenly became worthwhile. The problem was that with such high anticipated demand, the chances of getting a ticket were slim. Online sales started on March 6 at 5 p.m.; At exactly 5:02 p.m., a message came from my traveling companion: “It’s done! I have tickets.” The trip has officially started.
Arriving in rain-swept Tokyo on Friday, with a few hours left before hotel check-in at 3 p.m., I armed myself with an umbrella from the nearest konbini shop and wandered through the morning rush hour among white-collar workers, neatly dressed students, and late-night revelers still on their way home. Salamier lay comatose against a pillar in the middle of the expansive Shinjuku station; the woman gently hit her head on the ticket machine in front of me, falling asleep on her feet. The clouds cleared as I walked the streets of Kabukicho, snapping a few photos of Godzilla’s notable head and the alleyways surrounding it, before reuniting with my battle buddy and spending the evening dissecting the Barrera vs. Morales trilogy over steaming ramen noodles and a icy Asahi, excited for the huge day ahead.
The doors to the Tokyo Dome are scheduled to open at 1 p.m., and by noon, crowds had begun to gather under a dreamy blue sky just a miniature walk from the subway station, and the atmosphere outside was already buzzing. There was a line around the corner for the merchandise tent, and several items were marked “sold out.” Carried by a wave of shoppers, Inoue’s T-shirt, glove keychain, and fight poster made their way into the cart without much thought. A ‘Monster’ keychain card dropped free at the checkout softened the blow of the 12,000 yen (£55) note, and a handsome fight program was added to the souvenir box.
After another hour in the sluggish lines, I arrived at the Dome and was immediately greeted by a juvenile lady holding a jetpack with a beer. Would I like one? Indeed, I would do it. “Sorry, out of cash.” Both bank cards and mobile payments were quickly declined and, faced with the grim prospect of no food or drink for the next ten hours, I squeezed through the hall and pulled back the curtain to reveal a huge arena capable of holding 55,000 spectators. Halfway through the first fight, the stands were filling up quickly. Fortunately, my buddy managed to top up his metro card which he could spend at the food stands, but the end of the line was out of sight and each trip to the master’s room was a half-hour investment in crowded corridors.
The undercard flew by quickly, despite the terrible queues between fights and all six fights going the distance. The highlight was the national barnburner fight between Sora Tanaka and Jin Sasaki, while Inoue’s younger brother Takuma impressively defended his WBC bantamweight title against a local legend Kazuto Joka in main support. Ioka, a four-division champion who is retiring soon, drew rapturous applause in recognition of an accomplished career. It was also great to see Terence “Bud” Crawford at ringside, he also received an enthusiastic reception.
At approximately 9:30 p.m., emcee Michael Buffer signaled the start of the main event. Nakatani entered first, looking relaxed in his shiny gold robe. Then there was an epic ringwalk for the undisputed champion, flares and lights blazing to the rhythm of a clamorous electric guitar solo, a spectacle worthy of any season in Vegas, Wembley or Riyad. Standing silently with the audience during the national anthem, I admired the moving panoramic view, the Japanese flag flying on the huge screens overhead, and anticipation radiating throughout the arena. Buffer’s iconic catchphrase was duly delivered, another item was checked off my boxing bucket list, and it was time.
The clash of stances and strategies was evident from the very beginning, with both men feinting, baiting and moving into position in what was a classic high-stakes chess match. Inoue was busier and more aggressive early in the match, although he did go too far at times; Nakatani was more reactive, anticipating a devastating left-handed counter-attack, and several whistled just millimeters from impact. Things got heated midway through as ‘Gigantic Bang’s offensive rhythm began to gain momentum and ‘The Monster’ was forced onto his back foot, his usual shot repertoire deserting him. Great fights inevitably ebb and flow, and after Nakatani’s sustained wave of momentum, the champion re-established himself, landing solid rights and connecting left uppercuts to consolidate his authority in the final stretch.
Turning to himself after the final bell, my friend looked exhausted. “I feel like I haven’t been breathing since the fight started. Who won?”
“Inoue. There will be unanimity.” I had no doubts. Enjoying the atmosphere and absorbed in the action, I didn’t do live round-by-round recaps, but I thought it would be an 8-4, 7-5 fight, and that’s exactly how it was announced. Nakatani fought brilliantly and proved his worth beyond any doubt, but Inoue earned a well-deserved victory against his biggest rival on his biggest stage ever.
Despite this, there was still the feeling that the performance was somehow disappointing. Were Junto’s chances unfairly denied, or was the weight of expectation just too much? Inoue later admitted to feeling “relieved” to realize the huge impact on his mental toughness. There may also have been evidence that at the age of 33 his skills had declined slightly. Or perhaps, more accurately, we simply saw a great warrior do what he should against an elite opponent: fight, adapt, regenerate, and triumph.
Leaving the stadium proved almost more complex than entering the stadium, with thousands of bodies pushing through the revolving exits one by one. Stepping outside and sighing loudly under the glowing Dome, the crowds and energy of the great fight dissipated into the night as we walked through the city, avoiding the subway. The cry of “Nao-ya!” from a passing group, we were momentarily surprised; Realizing that it was a shout out to my “Monster” T-shirt, we returned cordial smiles and thumbs-up shouts: Inoe! Inoe!
We arrived at Golden Gai, a maze of narrow streets with over 200 petite bars, and we shook off a particularly persistent tout by walking into a random door. “Hi. Our cover fee – what, Inoue fight?”
It just so happened that a huge boxing fan was working at the door we chose. Five minutes of emotional conversation later, we still hadn’t sat down. As he enviously asked us about the fight, we were more than ecstatic to regale him with our stories from behind the ring. When my friend pulled some Inoue stickers out of his souvenir bag and gave them to our fresh companion, he held them up like a winning lottery ticket.
“For me? Woaaah, Sugoi!” (Incredible). “Next round free for you.”
Conversations about boxing flowed freely behind schedule into the night, bringing back memories of the greatest hits of Inoue and other notable Japanese boxers. Finally saying our fond farewells and still coming off the peak of the fight, we zigzagged through the still bustling, neon-lit streets as the morning sun began to rise, reflecting on the day’s events, pound-for-pound rankings, and potential future matchups.
By Sunday, reports were already circulating on social media that “Uncle Turki” wants to stage a mouth-watering megafight in 2027 between Inoue and “Bam” Rodriguez. The seed has been sown. Could we go again? Can a once-in-a-lifetime expedition be repeated? Absolutely. Forget about wasting hours in queues and almost losing your mind in the maze-like subway. The sights and sounds of Tokyo, the izakayas, the people, the Dome, the beltways, the Monster… it was worth every penny.
What an event. What a journey. A fight fan’s dream come true. —Matt O’Brien
On this day in 1988 in southwestern Ukraine, a future champion, a true recent champion, was born, and that’s all the excuse we need to revisit our take on one of “Hi-Tech’s” most impressive performances with Lee Wylie’s excellent film about Lomachenko’s ring brilliance, “The Tricks.” Elated birthday from everyone at The Fight City to the one and only Vasyl Lomachenko. Check it out:
On Saturday night, MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland hosted arguably the most talented player in the game, Vasyl Lomachenko, who, dressed in green and black in homage to his latest nickname, “The Matrix,” well and truly lived up to the lofty expectations many had for him. Indeed, he made a show that could be considered science fiction, and it was a miracle.
Against the tough Jason Sosa, Lomachenko was simply dazzling. What was admirable was the way he switched seamlessly between offensive brilliance and defensive skill. Much of that genius came from his masterful footwork; superlatives alone do not fully convey the virtuosity of his movements. Lomachenko reads his opponents similarly to Neo’s “matrix” and it is almost unfair.
Sosa turned out to be his match opponent and gave his all to fight Lomachenko, but it was clear that he had no chance against the Ukrainian. It was a break from the first bell. Most of Sosa’s punches seemed to only land in the air, and instead he was peppered with punches from all sides.
Only after nine one-sided rounds did Sosa stop the fight from a corner kick, although one can’t lend a hand but feel that if Lomachenko hadn’t been having so much fun, he might have ended it earlier. Like a cat playing with a mouse, Lomachenko was playing with his superior opponent. He taunted Sosa, effortlessly dodging punches, at one point imitating a matador taunting a rushing bull with his cape; he even imitated the clearly armed Sosa several times to better demonstrate his complete superiority. It’s clear that Lomachenko’s showmanship is now a key part of his personality.
In the end, “Hi-Tech” landed 275 punches compared to Sosa’s paltry 68 punches. The fight wasn’t even, but finding a worthy opponent for the former amateur star is clearly becoming a arduous task. Looking not only at his dominance over Sosa, but also at his one-sided victories over Nicholas Walters and Roman Martinez, one can’t lend a hand but feel that nothing low of the best opponent available could even dream of giving the Ukrainian virtuoso a competitive battle, let alone beating him. According to the man himself, reunification is currently at the top of the list, but if it fails, the next step will be to jump on the scale.
“I’ll call Bob (Arum) and tell him I only want to fight champions,” Lomachenko said after the fight. “I’m going to ask if we can get any of the 130-pound champions. If they refuse to fight, I’ll move up to 135. I’d like to fight Flanagan in England. [Mikey] Garcia would be great. I would like to fight this fight soon.”
Garcia and Flanagan are breathtaking matchups, but it looks like Lomachenko has other gigantic names in his sights as well. There’s also the only fighter to beat him in the professional rankings, Orlando Salido, and another pound-for-pound title contender in Terence Crawford.
“The first time we fought, I felt like a third-grader fighting a 12th-grader,” said Lomachenko of “Siri.” “Now I’ve graduated and I want to invite Salido to my university. And I’m heading towards Terence Crawford. I know it’s a gigantic fight and I know people want to see it.”
However, regardless of what matches take place in the coming months, Lomachenko has already proven that he is one of the most talented fighters to grace boxing in many years. This is a unique and astonishing talent, the kind we only see a few times in each generation. His skills are unmatched in contemporary fighting games, and the only drawback is that without famed opponents to fight, it is possible that his unique talents may go undiscovered by mainstream sports fans. And that would be a real shame. —Daniel Attias
How to sum up the just ended year in professional boxing? As we look back to 2025, we’re obviously grateful for Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue, as well as Jesse Rodriguez, Fabio Wardley, Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr., but we’re also a bit frustrated with the lackluster activity levels of so many of the sport’s top talents and the overall dearth of high-level fight cards. For some of us here on your favorite independent boxing site, getting used to 21st century boxing is still a challenge. That said, this post is about taking some time to acknowledge the achievements of the year just ended and highlight the positives. So, without further ado, the fights and fighters who have earned our recognition and desired awards. Check them out:
Nominations for “Annoyance of the Year”:
Rolando Romero W12 Ryan Garcia
Fabio Wardley via 11 TKO of Joseph Parker
Armando Resendiz W12 Caleb Plant
Aaron McKenna W12 Liam Smith
Brown tiara SD10 Skye Nicolson
Lewis Crocker W12 Paddy Donovan
Winner: Armando Resendiz W12 Caleb Plant
Resendiz had two losses in his last five fights and was considered just a busy opponent for Plant, who seemed to be established at the elite level of the super middleweight division. However, all preconceptions about this match were quickly forgotten when the underdog Mexican, clearly dissatisfied with Plant’s credibility, defied all expectations, not only causing a huge upset, but doing so emphatically and even coming close to scoring. It was a huge shock that forced everyone to reassess the position of both players.
Knockout of the Year nominations:
Masataka Taniguchi KO3 Condor Inaba
Fabio Wardley KO10 Justis Huni
Cayden Griffiths KO10 Fernando Elias Ruiz Hernandez
Anthony Joshua KO6 Jake Paul
Janibek Alimkhanuly KO5 Anaeul Ngmissengue
Elilf Nur Speak TKO6 Beatriz Ferreira
Brian Norman Jr KO5 Jin Sasaki
Winner: Anthony Joshua KO6 Jake Paul
One devastating right hand not only broke Jake Paul’s jaw in two places, but effectively ended his absurd claims to being an elite professional boxer once and for all. Some have been more spectacular, more brutal and more shocking, but no other knockout in 2025 has had even a greater impact on the sport. With any luck, Jake Paul’s boxing experiment will finally come to an end.
Nominations for the round of the year:
Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn 1, round 12
Isaac Cruz vs. Angel Fierro, round 10
Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes, round 11
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Fernando Martinez, round 10
Richardson Hitchins vs. George Kombosos Jr, round 8
Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alverez, round 9
Joseph Parker vs. Fabio Wardley, round 10
Naoya Inoue vs. Ramon Cardenas, round 2
Cristobal Lorente vs. Nate Collins, round 6
Winner: Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes, round 11
Mason vs. Noakes was a standout match in a year of excellent action-packed fights, and one of the main reasons for that was the three minutes of the penultimate round of the fight, a thrilling war within a war filled with acute exchanges and changing dynamics that kept fans on the edge of their seats from bell to bell. This epitomized the constant nature of the brutal battle itself, which showcased the high skill, stamina and incredible heart of both fighters, with Mason ultimately winning by unanimous decision.
Performance of the Year nominations:
Dmitry Bivol W12 Artur Beterbiev
Terence Crawford W12 Canelo Alvare
Naoya Inoue W12 Achmali
Jesse Rodriguez KO10 Fernando Martinez
Alycia Baumgardner W12 Leila Beaudoin
Katie Taylor W12 Amanda Serrano
Winner: Terence Crawford
It wasn’t that long ago that Terence Crawford was a welterweight and many of us may have thought “there’s a reason they have weight classes” when the Crawford vs. Canelo fight was first announced. Also significant was the fact that Canelo had established himself as the undisputed king at 168 pounds, occasionally moving up to lightweight heavyweight, so once again, Crawford vs. Canelo looked on paper like the proverbial “good massive man vs. good little man” fight, which, as any student of boxing history knows, usually doesn’t end well for the smaller man. So it was a surprise and an impressive performance when Crawford not only won, but outclassed Canelo with a masterful display of skill and flair to take a one-sided decision and claim a historically significant victory. Unlike other awards, choosing “2025 Performance of the Year” was basic.
Fight of the Year nominations:
Chris Eubank Jr. W12 Coner Benn
Dmitry Bivol W12 Artur Beterbiev
Katie Taylor W12 Amanda Serrano
Kenshiro Teraji via TKO12 Seigo Yuri Akui
Shadasia Green W10 Savannah Marshall
Naoya Inoue KO8 Ramon Cardenas
Christian Mbilli D10 Lester Martinez
Total Nakatani W12 Sebastian Hernandez
Winner: Kenshiro Teraji via TKO12 Seigo Yuri Akui
2025 was an exceptional year for dramatic, action-packed battles, which made choosing our Fight of the Year quite a challenging task, but in the end we had to say that nothing could top the fireworks that accompanied the March flyweight unification bout between Japanese fighters Teraji and Akui at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. There was action throughout the match, round after furious one, before Teraji, lagging behind on the scorecards, charged with momentum to force a dramatic stoppage in the twelfth and final round.
Warrior of the Year nominations:
Terence Crawford
Katie Taylor
Jesse Rodriguez
Naoya Inoue
Jai Opetaia
Urban: Assist me
Not that there is any doubt about these parts, but 2025 can be considered the year Naoya Inoue proved beyond any doubt that he is an all-time great boxer. As everyone knows, four championship victories in one calendar year is an extraordinary achievement in today’s fighting game, but in this case it is even more extraordinary because Inoue is 32 years senior and has been competing at the championship level since 2014. And he is still undefeated.
Besides, these weren’t four routine title defenses. Both Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Ramon Cardenas presented significant challenges; both were ranked high in the super bantamweight division and both deserved a chance to fight for world titles. Inoue had to recover from a knockout to beat Cardenas by eighth-round TKO, and Akhmadaliev’s skill was such that one suspects that nothing less than the superb technical execution the champion delivered could have neutralized the tough Uzbek. Yes, the victories over Alan Picasso and Ye Joon Kim were more superficial, but also dominant.
To recap, Inoue not only scored four championship victories in 2025; he gave four master classes in the art of boxing, losing several valuable minutes, not to mention rounds, while eliminating two of the most threatening challengers remaining in his division. If anyone had any doubts about Naoya Inoue’s greatness, 2025 should have eliminated them. He is an all-time great fighter and is once again our Fighter of the Year. –Robert Portis
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