Nayoya Inoue versus Adrian Hernandez this weekend in Tokyo

Could be an absolute beast of a fight, and given what happened with Lomachenko-Salido this week I can't believe that some of Inoue's people will be doing anything but bricking it.

Hernandez is better than Salido. He's the most established light-fly in the world. He looks profane, like a bit of a murderer, too, more than Salido in his way.

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Naoya on the other hand looks a little like an exchange student.

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So: the question really is, is Inoue better than Lomachenko? He is 5-0 going in and this is a step up from oriental national level to the best fighter in his division.

I think Inoue has improved really dramatically though. It might be that I'm just seeing him more clearly now that we have very clear film of him, and it may be hat having multiple rounds to look at him as helped, but I'd say that he has added real speed. He's fast, this kid, and extremely fluid on offence. Very, very fluid. As extremely fluid as it is possible for a fighter to be really, and he gets across some great punches that look like they aren't there to be made. This is the kind of thing you say about a young Tyson or a young Jones. I'm not making comparisons like that, really, directly, at the moment, but he might be a bit special.

That's all good, but the real questions are, can he take it, does he have a good engine and can he infight? The first one, we don't know, though he's so aggressive in using his speed of foot to stay in range that he has swallowed a few. He's been up to it so far, but nobody has hit him like this mother****er is going to hit him. The engine, it's good. He is economical in that he doesn't waste much, but he is busy and mobile. He's done 10 a couple of times and is busy at closing time. He stopped the very durable Yiki Sano on a cut in the tenth, only time Sano didn't make the distance.

As to infighting - there are reasons to be cheerful. Against Jenson Mancio he hit beautifully to the body dropping a hook behind the elbow, using his forearm, clinching judiciously.


Hernandez though - different kind of guy, again. You have to believe he's going to see the speed and the frame on this kid and try to corner him. "The Confessor" though might be at a disadvantage in that after a slow start he likes to hit hard, wing even. His a committed puncher.

Who you got?

Any general thoughts?

 

It's flying far under the radar everywhere my bro.

Which, given the fuss about Lomachenko's less difficult task, is unfortunate.

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xu5a8l_2012-10-06-adrian-hernandez-vs-kompayak-porpramook-ii_sport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpfENMi_HjQ


AND that's you basically up to date. Nine rounds total off the top of my head.

 

Yeah, **** Saldivar.