Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Naoya Inoue tops Nonito Donaire in great fight, signs deal with Top Rank
It was a big day for Naoya Inoue, the IBF-WBA bantamweight champion and, just perhaps, the 2019 Fighter of the Year. Inoue defeated Nonito Donaire in a stirring battle in the bantamweight finale of the World Boxing Super Series tournament, then signed a deal with Top Rank afterward.
Top Rank president Todd duBoef, who was in Saitama, Japan, to watch Inoue’s unanimous decision victory, said he plans to have Inoue fight on one of the ESPN platforms sometime early next year. The original plan, duBoef said, was for it to be in March, but Inoue suffered a deep cut over his right eye in the second round from a Donaire punch, so that puts the timeline into question.
But Inoue, who is fifth on the Yahoo Sports pound-for-pound list, is a huge acquisition for Top Rank. He is a charismatic and entertaining fighter who is a knockout artist as well as a showman. He is 19-0 with 16 knockouts after winning by scores of 116-111, 114-113 and 117-109. Yahoo Sports had it 117-109 for Inoue.
Top Rank now has five of Yahoo Sports’ Top 10 fighters: Terence Crawford at No. 2; Vasiliy Lomachenko at No. 3; Inoue at No. 5; Artur Beterbiev at No. 8 and Jose Ramirez at No. 9.
Speaking to Yahoo Sports by telephone, DuBoef pointed to the success of Manny Pacquiao in the U.S. as something Inoue could accomplish.
“He reminds me of a video game when he’s pulling backward and throwing power shots,” duBoef said, laughing, of Inoue. “I mean, this guy is so telegenic. He’s been on our radar for a long time. Our matchmakers [Bruce Trampler and Brad Goodman] love him. We’ve been on him for a long time, but he wanted to go into the World Boxing Super Series, so when it started to come to a conclusion, we worked out a deal.
“I think he can be [a major star in the U.S.]. Manny Pacquiao came to the U.S. and he didn’t speak English, but he was an exciting guy with speed and power and personality. Naoya has a lot of the same traits in terms of ability and marketing ability. The boxing aficionados love him and it’s a fan base that has been craving him. His nickname, ‘The Monster,’ is perfect. He’s the total package.”
https://s.yimg.com/it/api/res/1.2/zN...d-a9ad971cbbdf
He showed that in the ring in a bout in which he was a 9-to-1 favorite. Donaire, though, fought like anything but a hopeless underdog. He gave as good as he got for most of the fight, and he had Inoue hurt in the ninth round. That round has to be a contender for Round of the Year, as the two were trading power shots.
The only knockdown came in the 11th when Inoue hit Donaire in the solar plexus with one of his patented left hooks. Donaire bent over and winced in pain and retreated to the corner. Inoue didn’t get on him immediately because referee Ernest Sharif got in his way and it took Inoue a couple of seconds to get around the referee and at Donaire.
But Donaire fought courageously to survive and then battled in the final round.
He would have beaten nearly any other bantamweight in the world on this night, but he was taking on one of the sport’s legitimate superstars. Donaire turns 37 next week and this could be his final fight. If it is, he goes out with a Hall of Fame-worthy résumé, with a 40-6 record, 26 knockouts and titles in four weight classes.
Inoue is just getting started, and at 26, is just now rolling into his prime.
Once he gets on ESPN and the American public at large can see him, it could be Pacquiao 2.0. He’s that kind of a fighter.
https://s.yimg.com/it/api/res/1.2/Tm...a-b87d6e24b161
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/nao...141815199.html
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
What a great battles. Donaire prove his talent and skills even this age. Can't believe he survived that body shot. Inoue is great talent and will be difficult to defeat. This will be my choice for this year's fight
Naoya Inoue 117
Nonito Donaire 110
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Baal
What a great battles. Donaire prove his talent and skills even this age. Can't believe he survived that body shot. Inoue is great talent and will be difficult to defeat. This will be my choice for this year's fight
Naoya Inoue 117
Nonito Donaire 110
Fight of the year? We have Logan Paul vs KSI this weekend. :)
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Beanz
Terrific fight. Not that Donaire made Inoue look ordinary, but he deffo removed that air of invincibility. Amazing career for Donaire and a great fight to bow out on should he choose to. Will Inoue go up, and if so will his chin still hold up when he gets clocked by Figueroa or Roman?
Donaire is different league to those two and proved his sicko power at featherweight (he turned the welterweight Walters into a drunk). However, Inoue did look small in comparison. The superfight between him and Loma at featherweight looked way off.
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
It’s great for Inoue that he gets a nice contract with ESPN, but I’m just not sure if I like where his career will go with it. I don’t want to see him move up yet. He moved up already for this tournament. He needs to fight Nery and probably even Ooubali. He doesn’t need to move up
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Agreed. Inoue-Nery is a fight everyone wants to see. If ESPN f*cks it up it's another lost opportunity for a great fight.
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
what a fight. if donaire chooses not to retire he'll be nightmare for anyone
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Monster took the win but sounds like with a massive cost, fractured eye socket and nose ffs ???.
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Spicoli
Monster took the win but sounds like with a massive cost, fractured eye socket and nose ffs ???.
Sounds like it happened early in the fight. If so, he proved a lot of toughness. The fight was probably much closer than it would have been otherwise.
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Quote:
Originally Posted by
powerpuncher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Spicoli
Monster took the win but sounds like with a massive cost, fractured eye socket and nose ffs ???.
Sounds like it happened early in the fight. If so, he proved a lot of toughness. The fight was probably much closer than it would have been otherwise.
Donaire landed a big left hook end of 2nd or 3rd round which seemed to have caused the injury. Donaire was aggressive from the start and it paid off but was a huge risk for him but his experience helped him do so well in this fight.
Re: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire - WBSS Final - Japan - 7/11/19
Inoue will go down in history!!