Inoue out of #1 p4p discussions after the Junto fight

I was actually going to say Beterbiev instead of Super Boots

Inoue turned pro at 19

Usyk at almost 27


When Usyk was 19 he was campaigning at 165 with same day weigh ins

There's no footage of any of his fights from back then but here's a video of him at 17

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And one a month before his 22nd birthday

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Thing is Inoue has generally been fighting guys his size even at 118-122 or roughly his size or a few pounds bigger


'Naoya Inoue and opponent rehydration

All fights at 122lbs

Inoue 132.5lbs(+10.5) - Fulton 134.7lbs(+12.7)

Inoue 135.4lbs(+13.4) - Tapales 140.0lbs(+18.0)

Inoue 136.9lbs(+14.9) - Nery 134.5lbs(+12.5)

Inoue 138.2lbs(+16.2) Doheny 145.7lbs(+23.7)

Inoue 138.7lbs(+16.7) - Kim 136.9lbs(+14.9)


PS: According to Top Rank, Inoue 135lbs, Kim 147lbs, but according to the Japanese article, Inoue was the heaviest ever at 62.9kg (138.7lbs).

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e5b3ed7a8245ff3f92b8517423a6b6b8c9f8c8a0

Further note: I think 62.9kg (138.7lbs) is the exact figure since Inoue himself mentioned his weight on the day of the match.

This article

https://www.sanspo.com/article/20250125-LIOOA6U2LFLZ7HJBP3QCU2D5QY/?outputType=theme_fight

gives Kim's weight as 62.1kg (136.9lbs); Top Rank reports Inoue 135lbs and Kim 147lbs, which is very different, but the Japanese article is probably more correct. Inoue himself talks about his weight, and another article also says Inoue 62.9kg, Kim 62.1kg.

https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/864561?page=2

Kim does not appear to be 12lbs heavier than Inoue in terms of his physical appearance during the match. And the two reporters who wrote the articles are credible people who have covered Inoue for many years.
Therefore, the numbers in the table above have been corrected.'

I know he was giving away a huge amount of weight vs McDonnell

Inoue 131 - McDonnell 143-144

There's plenty of examples of smaller fighters who've come up in weight and becoming multi-weight champions too, especially when you turn pro young or in your teens. Usyk turns pro the same age as Inoue did he's doing so at MW, so from 160 to HW facing opponents who weighed from 233-280 up at HW

Most of those examples of small HWs beating much bigger ones were massive punching smaller HWs like Louis, Dempsey, Haye and those giants back in Louis' day and Dempsey's day were unathletic Frankenstein's monsters who didn't even know how to use their range and Louis and Dempsey were dropped by some of those big cumbersome giants they fought. Holyfield was dropped and stopped by one of the giants he fought

And all those guys were in their primes when they were campaigning at HW and facing giants. Usyk has been past or well past his for years, is not a massive puncher, has not been dropped or stopped, or dropped by any of the giants he's fought, giants who are athletic, coordinated, and fast for their size and they know how to use their size and range (the taller longer ones), and Usyk has been beating them up in their backyards and on the road when already past his prime or well past it

I've no problem with anyone having Inoue P4P#1 after this win but let's see him in with giants who are way bigger than him, murderous punching giants way bigger than him, in their backyards or on the road time and time again when he's Usyk's age or say at like 36 y/o when his reaction times and reflexes have slowed a lot

 

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I mean Usyk campaigning down at 165 at 19 y/o ie. the same age as Inoue was when he turned pro

Usyk turns pro at 19 he does so at MW not CW

 

But the same would apply to Inoue at 19 too if so

My point is people will say Inoue came all up from the weight he turned pro at through all those divisions and that Usyk has only come up one division but that's very disingenuous when one turned pro as a teenager and the other at almost 27 y/o and when there are weight divisions every 3,4 or 5lbs for little fighters and only 1 above CW and no weight limit at HW.

Bridgerweight isn't considered a serious division

 

nice breakdown.

 

Usyks one of my favorite active fighters and Ive been advocating his number one position for awhile now, but I think this win does put Inoue in at number one now. Having a dominant win over a fellow p4p fighter, who is younger and bigger, takes the lead when the race is as tight as the one between Inoue and Usyk, and Usyk takes his foot off the pedal a bit (understandably so, imo).

Inoue p4p #1 now, imo.

 

Good points.