Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery Fight Preview

As the first Japanese fighter to defend an undisputed championship in over half a century, Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) will be creating further history when he defends his super-bantamweight titles against Luis Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) at the Tokyo Dome on May 6. The last Japanese national to make a defense of their undisputed titles was Koichi Wajima in the mid-1970s, defending his undisputed super welterweight status.

Inoue previously became the undisputed bantamweight champion, then immediately moved up to 122 pounds and repeated the feat at super-bantamweight in two fights within a year. Inoue stopped Marlon Tapales in ten rounds on Boxing Day last year to win the WBA and IBF titles and collect all the marbles at 122 pounds, becoming a two-weight undisputed king. Afterward, the boxing world waited in anticipation to see Inoue’s next move. Perhaps a climb to featherweight. Instead, Inoue decided to allow his frame to settle at super-bantamweight. Immediately, a certain hard-hitting Mexican was rumored to be the next man on the list.

Of all potential challengers at 122 pounds, Nery is arguably the most dangerous. Inoue’s status as a huge favorite entering this bout is a testament to his greatness more than anything. Nery is a two-weight world champion, and the Mexican southpaw has been competing at the world level for years. In his 12 years as a professional, Nery has become somewhat of a boxing outcast. With the circumstances surrounding his previous visits to Japan, there is a sense that there may be some unfinished business for the Mexican. Those two stoppage wins against Shinsuke Yamanaka in Japan are great wins on paper, but the PED controversy and missed weight meant a dark cloud hanging over both wins, leaving a bitter taste in many Japanese mouths.

Inoue and Nery possess knockout power and do not appear to favor distance fights. The last time Inoue went the distance was in the first Nonito Donaire showdown in November 2019. All seven fights since have ended in stoppage wins, including a Donaire rematch, which Inoue conclusively and devastatingly finished in two rounds. Most of Nery’s fights have also ended in stoppage victories for the southpaw. Inoue’s record and the manner in which he consistently disposes of world-class opposition in a few rounds is an indicator of arguably the pound-for-pound hardest puncher on the planet. Just as dangerous on the outside as he is on the inside, every Inoue punch is dynamite.

Nery does not possess Inoue’s devastating one-punch knockout power, but the Mexican packs a big punch of his own, is aggressive, and can wreak havoc with his combination-punching. The Tijuana man can certainly fight. His wins against the (27-0) Carlos Castro and the February 2023 barnburner against Azat Hovhannisyan in a worthy Fight of The Year candidate, moved Nery towards a lifetime opportunity. Nevertheless, Nery is expected to go the same way as all of the rest of the men who entered the ring against “The Monster. Nery beating Inoue would undoubtedly be a huge shock. However, boxing is packed with massive upsets throughout history’s weight divisions.

No fighter in the world today looks more unbeatable than Inoue. The Kanagawa native is moving through the weight divisions and keeping his brutal knockout power, delivering vicious knockouts. Also, as highlighted better than ever against the great Donaire in their first classic showdown, he appears to take a shot just as good as he delivers them. Having meaningful fights and collecting titles has become the primary objective of Inoue’s career. Right now, it appears the only way Inoue will lose is by rising through the weight classes and meeting an opponent who presents too large a test to overcome.

The 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome will be hosting its first boxing event since the historic Mike Tyson vs. James ‘Buster’ Douglas showdown in 1990, in what is quite possibly the biggest upset in boxing history. Douglas knocked out the previously undefeated Tyson to become undisputed heavyweight champion. Inoue is a massive star at home, and the fact that boxing is returning to this historic venue is a testament to that.

Talking on the Camp Life episode by Top Rank Boxing, Inoue said: “Well, having the first boxing match in Tokyo Dome since Mike Tyson is something that is not achievable by anyone. So I want to take pride in that when I’m in the ring.” More than 50,000 fans will be in attendance on Monday when Inoue makes his return to the ring, and they will be hoping there are no shocks when the 31-year-old makes the first return of his undisputed super-bantamweight status.

Nery believes the stage is set for history to repeat itself. “I think it’s a sign,” Nery said during the Camp Life episode by Top Rank Boxing. “If Mike Tyson lost his unbeaten record there, then Naoya Inoue can too. Now, Mike Tyson was actually a monster. He, for sure, was an assassin. So I’m happy that they made the fight at Tokyo Dome.”

More than three decades apart, whilst an interesting comparison, Tyson in 1990 and Inoue as we see him today are not the same. Yes, both huge fight favorites share a habit of destroying opponents, but while Tyson had the reputation of an invincible monster, he was already on the wrong path, constantly troubled by numerous personal issues. Inoue is as consummate a professional as anyone in the sport today.

Inoue is in his absolute prime right now, a four-weight world champion and a two-weight undisputed champion. Nery, the hard-punching two-weight world champion, is aggressive, gritty and courageous. He poses different problems to other recent Inoue victims. He is careless enough, in the best sense of the word in a boxing ring, to believe he can be the one to push the great Japanese back and produce a shocker.

In Nery’s only loss, Brandon Figueroa’s constant pressure and body attack broke Nery down. Nery did not go away easily, but after his stamina deserted him, a body shot in the seventh round concluded the fight. Inoue is not a man who hesitates to make his way to the inside and work Nery’s body.

Nery is a fearless competitor who can make this fight interesting with his sheer grit alone, but his willingness to constantly take risks may lead to his demise against Inoue, a talented and ferocious artist who will lay the hurt on his challenger before an exciting contest is drawn to a close, likely in the final third.