Japan’s ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue Scores Sensational TKO To Retain His WBA-IBF Titles

Published 12/14/2021, 11:25 AM EST

Undefeated bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue delivered a sensational TKO against Thai-boxer Aran Dipaen to retain his WBA and IBF straps. Coming off strong from the very beginning, Inoue silenced his critics in round eight and advanced his pro record to 22-0, which boasts 19 KOs right now. This means, 2022 can put him in a unification fight and Inoue has put up stellar performances.

Following his second win in 2021, ‘The Monster’ has clearly proved himself to be a knockout artist. Although 6 ranked IBF contender Dipaen isn’t really the toughest name in the division, Naoya Inoue still earned his latest win against a worthy opponent.

The Top Rank fighter is clearly a pound-for-pound prospect now and is close to fighting for another bantamweight belt in the future. The two-division champion has been on a terror in the bantamweight unit. His latest win was just a classic display of that.

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Inoue didn’t let his opponent establish any dominance. He left Aran Dipaen on wobbly legs before pulling the trigger in the eighth. After sending Dipaen to the canvas, he finished the fight with the following shots that the Thai opposition contracted on getting back up. No wonder Inoue sent a clear message to his contemporaries.

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Naoya Inoue looks invincible at this point. However, a veteran fighter in Nonito Donaire had pushed Inoue to his limits back in 2018. It was a hard-fought win for ‘The Monster’. That said, a unification fight against the veteran WBO titlist John Riel Casemiro can be a similar kind of challenge for Inoue.

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Can Naoya Inoue fight for the WBO title in 2022?

Inoue and Casemiro were already scheduled to fight back in 2020. Unfortunately, the global pandemic outbreak disrupted the plans. Casemiro defended his belt against Duke Micah in 2020 and Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2021. While Inoue also had a successful time in the past two years, it’s time to see him challenge Casemiro.

Boasting a 31-4 professional record, WBO bantamweight champion Casemiro is 14-years-old in the chain system. He clearly has more experience than Inoue. Well, the Japanese star has sheer power and flexibility that has seen him topple every change so far. In that case, Casemiro can try his fate against ‘The Monster’ in an epic bantamweight title unification fight, that justifies the ongoing championship race.

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Written by:

A senior boxing writer at EssentiallySports, Raj Sarkar is a mass media graduate who is currently pursuing his master’s degree in broadcast journalism. In addition to his current role, he has worked with the MMA team at EssentiallySports and has interviewed prominent fighters such as Ritu Phogat and 'The Red King' Rory MacDonald. Combining his bachelor's degree with his adoration for combat sports, he has earned a combined 3000 plus bylines over the last two years.

Japan’s ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue Scores Sensational TKO To Retain His WBA-IBF Titles

Can Naoya Inoue fight for the WBO title in 2022?

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