Naoya Inoue Planning To Eventually Fight All The Way Up To Featherweight

Now that Naoya Inoue has become a full bantamweight world champion when he won the IBF world title with a win over Emmanuel Rodriguez, Inoue opened up about his future in higher weight classes.

An article from Nikkan Sports revealed that the 26-year-old Japanese star is not only interested in fighting for the next 10 years but also aims to be a five-division world champion. This would mean that Inoue has plans to win a world champion at both super bantamweight and featherweight.

The current IBF and WBA “Regular” bantamweight champion spoke about joining an elite club of fighters to have won belts in five divisions, a club that includes the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Thomas Hearns, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Amanda Serrano and more.

Speaking to his future at bantamweight, Inoue also spoke about a potential clash with former WBC bantamweight champion Luis Nery. Nery’s title reign ended after he missed weight right before a title defense against Shinsuke Yamanaka in a title rematch in early 2018 in Japan. Even though Nery won the fight against Yamanaka, Nery was handed a lifetime ban from ever boxing professionally in Japan by the Japanese Boxing Commission for not only missing weight but also failing a drug test during the first fight against Shinsuke Yamanaka in 2017. Inoue said he would be open to a fight against Nery so long as he is able to make weight.

Inoue’s next fight will be against WBA “Super” bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight finals at a venue and date to be announced in the future.