Japan’s unbeaten Naoya Inoue, 31 years old, will face Britain’s Sam Goodman on January 24 at Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. In a fight that looks legit for Inoue, and one he should win easily. Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) is not a threat to Monster, and we think it should be his last fight at Super Bantamweight.
If Inoue decides to move up to featherweight, we have several fighters out there ready to take him on in this weight class for a title fight. However, his team’s plans could lead him to a warm-up fight first before facing the current featherweight champion.
Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza and Angelo Leo are logical candidates. Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton fight each other in February, and the winner can put his name on the list. If Naoya wants to fight for the title right away. Fulton was knocked out by Inoue in 2023 in 8 rounds at super-bantamweight.
Another man in this weight class who could make an appearance is Robeisy Ramirez. The Cuban lost to Espinoza in a controversial fight, and little is known about his health after his loss to El Divino. However, his status at this weight class opens up a limit for Inoue to measure up to once he regains his health.
Nick Ball will face TJ Doheny on March 15th, closing the possibility of the two facing Naoya soon. Rey Vargas hasn’t won since 2022, and O’Shaquie Foster still hasn’t defeated Robinson Conceicao; most likely, they will have a third fight after their split decision victory in both fights.
Although Naoya’s outlook at featherweight is not bright, boxing fans still want to see him make it to the top at 126 lb. His superiority against the super bantamweight is wide, and we don’t see anyone who can stop him or fight him hard.
We believe that in 2025, Naoya should move forward and move up to featherweight. Most fans want to weigh his weight against 126 pounds. If his team in Japan decides to release him in weight, the name of the opponent should be important.
Naoya Inoue’s position on the LxL roster means his featherweight opponent must be a real contender. Due to their physical advantages in growth and reach, Rey Vargas and Rafael Espinoza look like very strong contenders. We don’t know if the Mexicans will be able to stay at featherweight for long; it’s possible that both should go to super feathers, which opens up more scope for Inoue at this weight.
After considering all the possibilities, among the best contenders in featherweight, although it seems unlikely, we are inclined to believe that Cuban Robeisy Ramirez could be the chosen one. The reason is that the Cuban still maintains his name at the top of this weight, and Inoue’s physical disadvantage would not be too great.
No matter who Naoya Inoue and his team choose to jump to 126 pounds, it’s true that fans want to see him compete at the top level at that weight. Naoya, to some, looks invincible not only at 126 lbs but will see him in the future as well, closing his career and ending up at super featherweight, which seems impossible.
In the meantime, we’ll welcome seeing him weigh in and weigh in against the best featherweight available in mid-2025. There are names that could surprise Inoue at this weight, and we are eager to see if he can maintain his power and dominance at this weight.
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