In a remarkable turnaround, Naoya Inoue bounced back from a first-round knockdown, ultimately securing victory over Luis Nery in their junior featherweight title bout. The match, held at Tokyo Dome and attended by over 44,000 spectators, echoed the historic Tyson-Douglas bout of 1990 in terms of surprise.
After Nery’s unexpected early success, Inoue, nicknamed “The Monster,” demonstrated his resilience and skill. Addressing the crowd post-match, he admitted the first-round surprise fueled his determination throughout the fight.
In subsequent rounds, Inoue unleashed powerful counterattacks, knocking Nery down multiple times. Despite Nery’s reinstated boxing license, suspended since 2018 due to infractions, Inoue harbored no ill will, extending a handshake after the fight.
Stats from CompuBox highlighted Inoue’s dominance, with twice as many landed punches as Nery. This win marked Inoue’s eighth consecutive knockout victory.
Looking ahead, Inoue faces mandatory challengers Akhmadaliev and Goodman. Despite his past success and recognition, Inoue remains focused on future challenges and potential matchups, including negotiations with Goodman for a bout in September.
Nery’s pre-fight criticism of Inoue as “overrated” contrasts sharply with his defeat, highlighting the unpredictability of boxing.
