Inoue looks to reaffirm his pound-for-pound throne against Akhmadaliev

Undefeated Japanese champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue is set to defend his undisputed 122-pound world titles against Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev in a fight that promises to shake up the boxing world.

Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) comes in determined to solidify and cement his dominance and maintain his spot atop the pound-for-pound rankings. At the pre-fight press conference, he spoke calmly but firmly about the challenge ahead:

“After my last fights, I asked myself over and over why I got knocked down twice, and I know the answer. Those experiences made me evolve. I’m ready to prove I keep improving and that I’m still the best in the world.”

Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs), a former world champion, showed full confidence in his chances and made it clear he’s not coming to Japan just to participate:

“I didn’t come to Japan as a tourist. I respect Inoue, but I don’t fear him. This is my chance to show who I really am. I’ve trained to win, not just to compete.”

The fight will take place on Sunday, September 14 at the IG Arena in Nagoya and promises to be an elite-level showdown between two of the most talented boxers around.The fight will be broadcast in the United States and the United Kingdom through Top Rank’s Facebook page.