Inoue vs Fulton LIVE: Latest boxing fight updates and results
Pound-for-pound phenom Naoya Inoue took apart Stephen Fulton in Tokyo today, becoming a four-weight world champion in the process.
Japanese superstar Inoue – a former light-flyweight champion and unified title holder at super-flyweight – achieved undisputed status at bantamweight in 2022, before vacating those titles to set up this clash with Fulton. The American, 29, carried the WBC and WBO super-bantamweight titles into the Ariake Arena on Tuesday, as well as an unbeaten record (21-0, 8 knockouts).
But Fulton lost all of those accolades as he was beaten to nearly every punch by Inoue, 30, in their main-event clash, which ended in Round 8 after the Japanese dropped the champion with a brutal left hook. Although Fulton beat the referee’s count, he was soon overwhelmed by Inoue, who forced the referee to step in and wave off the fight.
Inoue vs Fulton LIVE: The best boxer in the world fights on Tuesdays
If you asked the average person to name their favourite day of the week, they would not name Tuesday. Monday, while generally considered to be loathed, is actually enjoyed by many for the buzz it brings; Wednesday is ‘hump day’; Thursday is the new Friday; and Friday ushers in the weekend. But Tuesday? What does it actually offer? Fifty times out of 52, not very much – I’ll grant you that. But twice a year, Tuesdays are transformed. And they are transformed by Naoya Inoue.
Sometimes, the best boxer in the world fights in Tokyo, as he did this week and in December. Sometimes, he fights in Saitama, as he did last June. He has also fought in Yokohama, and even Las Vegas and Glasgow. But nowadays, the constant is that Naoya Inoue fights on Tuesdays. It is not a day on which we are accustomed to seeing the pageantry and ceremony of world title fights, but if you haven’t joined the club already, you will need to start navigating that foreign feeling and turning on your TV, opening that fresh tab on your laptop, or turning your phone horizontally. You need to tune in.
You need to tune in because, twice a year on Tuesdays, Inoue produces the closest thing to boxing mastery that you will see. That is written with the knowledge that one of the fights of this generation – Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford – awaits this weekend. In future, don’t wait for Saturdays. The best boxer in the world fights on Tuesdays.
Inoue vs Fulton LIVE: Inoue stops American in Round 8
Fulton, per Talksport: “I’m not feeling bad, because I’m a champion no matter what.
“I’m very disappointed in my performance, but I can’t allow that to dictate who I am as a person.
“I went out like a man, so I hold my head up like a man.”
Inoue vs Fulton LIVE: Inoue stops American in Round 8
Even as he made his walk in the Ariake Arena, Naoya Inoue exuded the air of a boxer who may just retire unbeaten – just moments before facing what should have been his toughest test yet.
The Japanese has been No 1 on Indy Sport’s pound-for-pound list for some time now, with the best knockout percentage (22 from 25 unanswered wins) of any fighter in those rankings, and he does not look like he will be displaced.
If he is not at the top of your list, or near that summit, or even in your rankings at all, then chances are you haven’t tuned in to Tuesdays With Naoya Inoue.
