Inoue will most likely stick with 122 and fight Sam Goodman or MJ within the year. What are the chances that Inoue decides to move up to 126 and perhaps go for another undisputed run at some point? I personally think he can still move up but 126 could be his last weight class. Featherweight is an interesting division that would make some very good fights for Inoue. The question would be if he'll still remain just as dominant. Who can give Inoue the biggest challenge? Leigh Wood Rafael Espinoza Luis Alberto Lopez Robeisy Ramirez Rey Vargas Brandon Figueroa Raymond Ford Bruce Carrington Nick Ball Otabek Kholmatov Mark Magsayo Josh Warrington
He will be dominant, but not as dominate giving that it's another division up. They will be able to take his punches better and they're physically stronger. Luis Alberto Lopez and Robeisy Ramirez would give him his hardest fights at 126.
He looked at worst the same size as Nery tonight to me. He has been fighting some bigger guys but with the exception of McDonnell who was much bigger than him there's only a few pounds difference in it between him and his other opponents. He'll be a few pounds heavier than some, a few pounds lighter or the same weight as them and the biggest weight disadvantage he would be up against, sans McDonnell, would be about 5lbs max IMO, judging from the eye test and what I have heard about his and his opponent's respective weights He's not a tiny guy who is facing giants much bigger than him in the higher weight classes, including 122. However, up at 126 and 130, especially the later, he's going to run into some big or very big boys and unless he keeps getting heavier himself as he moves up size, weight and reach are going to become major obstacles for him to overcome and the durability of his bigger opponents. will be too He's carried his power up to 122 as I predicted he would because of the devastating fashion he was taking out his opponents at 118, but I wouldn't risk going any higher than 126 if I was him and if he does decide to do so, depending on who the champs are at the time and how big they are, he should just grab one belt as opposed to trying to unify. That's what Loma should've done and then moved back down to 130 because even though he can beat all those guys up there at his best, the size disparity is ridiculous and that's how I think it would be for Inoue at 130 against the biggest fighters or giants of the division, even maybe at 126 with the giants of that division he could be greatly outsized.
Look at the size of Ford here. Yes, Ball is a oompa loomp but Ford looks like a 154 pounder compared to him. Ball is thick-set himself but Ford looks like a different species to him. I'm not saying the weight disparity will be as big on the night as it looks there but you can clearly see Ford is probably more like a natural 140 bare minimum. This content is protected
I've only seen Espinoza fight once. I had to think for a moment who it was he actually beat in that fight because I knew it was someone good. It was Robsy of course who I do rate highly. In answer to your question. I'd have to see Inoue at 126 first and a bit more of Espinoza. I think Robsy would be a really dangerous opponent for Inoue though. Nor saying I'd pick him to beat him, but he's very skilled with big power.
I always said Robeisy was a dangerous opponent but now that he took another L, I don’t want Inoue to fight him cause he wouldn’t get credit.
Yeah, he's high risk low reward now. It would just be a dumb fight to take, especially in your 5th weight class against a big puncher for that weight class.
Robeisy still has some unfinished business with Espinoza and it's likely that he'll get the rematch. I wouldn't count him out in avenging his loss. Should he beat Espinoza in the rematch I wouldn't mind seeing a fight between Robeisy and Inoue. I think both their styles would mesh well and it would make for a very entertaining fight.
Notwithstanding the jacket, Ford's shoulders and neck seem entirely incompatible with a 126lber. Yikes. Ironically, I give Ball a very good shot at upsetting Ford. While I'm not overly partial to Ball's wrecking ball style, his power is legitimate, he's strong as a horse, and he has a very good engine.
This is what I mean - it's not just the height difference which you expect with oompa loomp Ball, and even then it's way less than it was against his last opponent, or the width of Ford's shoulders etc. It's his neck and head. You can clearly see he's not just a naturally bigger man he's way naturally bigger and he is not a leprechaun division fighter. He's a mid weight one who boils down to leprechaun. I'm not saying a massive weight bully because I don't know how much he weighs in the ring but I was shocked at the size difference when I saw them standing next to each other https://ibb.co/3ccQhLk Ford's a good fighter with nice skills and he can punch a bit. Ball is, and even Ford mentioned this, is very physically strong and, as you say, he can punch and has a great engine. I don't expect the weight difference between them to be as much as it appears in the photo and vid (it looks about 30-40lbs) but it's probably still going to be a lot. Interesting fight and one I'm looking forward to
126 lbs. is not the wasteland some say. Lopez is tricky, full of confidence. Figueroa presents an interesting styles clash. There may not be the star power at featherweight but there are worthy challengers. A couple are giants compared to Inoue.
