Naoya Inoue vs. Petchbarngborn Kokietgym official for September 4th

WBO Super Flyweight Champion Naoya Inoue won’t be sitting idle while Roman Gonzalez tries to muscle in on his turf. RingNews24 announced today that “The Monster” will make his second 2016 appearance on September 4th, taking on Thailand’s Petchbarngborn Kokietgym in the former’s native Kanagawa.

Inoue (10-0, 8 KO) saw his five-fight knockout streak end in his recent title defense against David Carmona, but managed to dominate and drop the Mexican challenger despite breaking his hand once again. The twenty-three-year-old had previously obliterated Omar Narvaez for the title and knocked out Warrlito Perez in his first defense, each fight lasting just two rounds.

Kokietgym (38-7-1, 18 KO), ranked #3 by the WBO behind Narvaez and Zolani Tete, has won sixteen straight over stereotypical Thai opposition since a 2013 knockout loss to another Japanese young gun, Sho Ishida. He was set to face Paul Butler earlier this year before the Englishman bungled his weight cut and the BBBofC pulled the plug.

Naoya’s younger brother Takuma (7-0, 2 KO), a solid prospect in his own right, takes on Filipino vet Froilan Saludar (23-1-1, 14 KO) on the undercard. Said undercard will also feature the professional debut of 2012 bronze medalist Satoshi Shimizu, whom you may remember from his hilariously corrupt match with Magomad Abdulhamidov.