January 5, 2013
TOKYO, JAPAN
We should not easily use a word of genius, but people here in Japan cannot help calling Naoya Inoue a genius. Inoue, a 19-year-old rookie, will participate in his second pro bout against Thai 108-pound champ Ngaoprajan Chuwattana today (Saturday). Inoue, seven-time national high school champ, turned pro and dispatched Philippine champ Crison Omayao with a wicked body shot in four rounds of his debut last October. His performance was so tremendously impressive that our boxing fraternity now expects him to break the record of quickest reach to a world throne in his seventh pro bout (now held by WBA light-fly ruler Kazuto Ioka). Inoue, whose amateur mark was 75-6, 48 stoppages, failed to participate in the Olympic Games in London despite great expectations, and promptly declared to enter the paid ranks. Lately did Inoue, a boyish youngster, so one-sidedly beat up ex-WBA super-fly champ Nobuo Nashiro in six sparring sessions that our press people truly realized Inoue’s vast talent. Today we are pleased to watch his progress with great interests.
(1-5-2013)