March 29, 2024

Naoya Inoue set to join WBSS bantamweight tournament

The tournament already has four men who can claim to be world champion.

Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images

After thrashing Jamie McDonnell on Friday in Tokyo, Naoya Inoue is cleared and ready to join the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight tournament later this year.

WBA “world” titleholder Inoue (16-0, 14 KO) is the fourth bantamweight to join the tournament, adding to WBA “super world” champion Ryan Burnett, WBO titleholder Zolani Tete, and IBF titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez, making for a loaded field already, and that’s just half of what it will be.

With his explosive power and technique, Inoue may well come in as the favorite, even though he’s had just one fight as a bantamweight. But that’s understandable, because he has dominated thus far as a professional, winning titles at 112, 115, and now 118, if you choose to count it.

Who else would you like to see join the bantamweight tournament, and do you think Inoue deserves to be seen as the odds-on favorite going into the whole shebang?

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