By: Sean Crose
Naoya Inoue has one again shown why he’s known as “The Monster.” Battling the little known but determined and talented Ye Joon Kim on Friday, Inoue did what he does best: Break his opponent down through the superior use of pressure and power. Kim was good. Indeed, the man had his moments. Good, however, is simply not good enough when one is fighting undisputed super bantamweight champion Inoue. Entering the ring with a record of 28-0, Inoue stared at Kim through gunfighter eyes while the referee read the instructions. The man was clearly in the zone – and he remained in the zone throughout the course of the fight. The man’s focus was, as always, laser like.
Kim came out as a southpaw in the first while Inoue probed with his jab. Overall, however, the opening round was a feeling out period for both fighters. Inoue turned up the volume immediately at the beginning of the second. As the round progressed it became obvious he was the harder hitting of the two combatants. In the third, however, Kim was able to hit his man aggressively. Inoue is a special fighter, though, and he kept employing pressure on his foe.
Indeed, by the fourth it was clear that the defending champion had taken control of the fight. Kim had a bruise under his left eye and was taking hard shots. The hungry challenger was game, throwing punches of his own, but the cumulative effect of Inoue’s shots finally put Kim on the mat near the end of the round. Tough as he was, Kim simply couldn’t beat the count. For a man who took the fight on just a few day’s notice, Kim deserved much credit. He was simply outdone, though, by one of the best boxers in the world today – if not the single best boxer in the world today.
The quiet and deeply serious Tokyo crowd (boxing is no joke in the land of the rising sun) finally roared its approval upon Inoue’s win. They had good reason to celebrate. Their countrymen is a combat sport dynamo who doesn’t seem to be letting up in his 31st year. The question is what world’s are left for Inoue to conquer? While the 32 year old Kim wasn’t regarded as Inoue’s best opponent (he was a last minute replacement, after all), it’s hard to imagine Inoue being defeated right now unless he moves up enough in weight for it to be a bridge too far.
Here’s hoping that never happens.
