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In Nagoya, Japan, Naoya “Monster” Inoue (31-0, 28 KOs) once again showed why many consider him the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. On Sunday, September 14, inside the IG Arena, Inoue successfully defended his undisputed super bantamweight crown—including the WBA Super Championship—by outclassing former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (14-2, 11 KOs) over twelve rounds.
The judges’ scorecards told the story: 117-111, 118-110, 118-110, a landslide in favor of the Japanese superstar.
From the opening bell, Inoue’s lightning-fast hands and razor-sharp precision set the tone. He neutralized Akhmadaliev’s southpaw stance and constant pressure, forcing the Uzbek Olympian to fight on the back foot. Akhmadaliev, proud and durable, stood his ground, but he never found the rhythm to solve Inoue’s variety and tempo.
“I was very motivated to face a fighter as good as Akhmadaliev. Thanks to him, I was able to show my best version,” Inoue said after the fight.
This was Inoue’s fifth defense as undisputed champion at 122 pounds and the 26th world title fight of a professional career that already spans four weight classes. Remarkably, Akhmadaliev became only the fourth man to last the distance against the “Monster,” halting a streak of eleven consecutive knockouts.
The timing of the fight—just hours after Terence Crawford’s historic win over Canelo Álvarez in Las Vegas—rekindled the pound-for-pound debate. Once again, Inoue made his case clear: his dominance isn’t built solely on power. It’s his tactical brilliance, adaptability, and ring IQ that set him apart.
With every defense, Naoya Inoue strengthens his claim as one of the defining champions of the modern era.
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