Naoya Inoue: Murodjon Akhmadaliev ‘Missed the Target’ While Taunting

The Japanese pugilistic hurricane, Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs), is currently gearing up to defend his undisputed super-bantamweight title for the fifth time against Uzbek boxer and former IBF & WBA champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs) on September 14. Ahead of fight night, Akhmadaliev was quick to claim that he was the better fighter overall. While Inoue appreciates the enthusiasm, he feels that his opponent’s energy might just be a tad bit misplaced.

The recent open workout saw Inoue dishing out combinations and a befitting reply to Akhmadaliev’s taunts.

“I saw that comment, but I think he’s missed the target a little there,” he said when asked if he was intimidated by Akhmadaliev’s words. “I definitely don’t think I’m inferior in terms of overall strength. The only thing you could say that is intimidating about Akhmadaliev is his physicality and power.”

It is true that in the aspect of raw power, Akhmadaliev is Inoue’s riskiest undertaking yet. With 14 wins out of 15 fights, including 11 knockouts, he won the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and held the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world titles from 2020 to 2023. He is certainly a force to be reckoned with. However, Inoue is an equally, if not more, dangerous specimen inside the ring.

With a skillset to match his constant aura farming, Inoue boasts of 27 knockouts to bejewel his unbeaten record. ‘The Monster’ from Kanagawa was last seen dishing out an 8^th round TKO against Ramon Cardenas while defending his undisputed title for the fourth time.

With just over a week to go for fight night, Inoue is determined to win, come what may.

“The theme I have in mind for this fight is to win in whatever way I can. I’m not insisting that I win by KO, my only goal is to win,” he said.

“He’s Not An Exception”

Akhmadaliev, on the other hand, is gearing up to let his fists do the talking on fight night.

While he highlighted his excitement about facing Inoue, talking to the Ring Magazine, he quickly followed it up with a rather subtle (or maybe not that subtle) warning for his opponent.

“I am finally getting the opportunity to fight Inoue. I have worked very hard to be in this position, and I will show the best version of myself on fight night. I feel like I will be in the best shape of my career heading into this fight,” he said. “I can hurt anyone with my punches, and I believe in my power, and I can deliver it, too. He’s not an exception. My job is to beat him, and I will do everything in my power to do that.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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