Naoya Inoue

Naoya Inoue is a Japanese professional boxer widely recognized in the sport for his fast start and sustained success across multiple weight classes. Known as “The Monster (怪物 / Kaibutsu),” the orthodox southpaw from Zama, Kanagawa (based in Yokohama / Kanagawa) stands 165 cm with a 171 cm reach and has compiled a 33–0 record with 27 stoppages. Inoue is the undisputed super-bantamweight world champion, holding the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF and WBO super-bantamweight titles, and The Ring super-bantamweight title (retained through 2026-05-02 per sources). Inoue turned professional in 2012 and established his power early, recording a fourth-round KO of Crison Omayao at Korakuen Hall that October and following with a string of stoppages and wins at domestic venues. By August 2013 he captured the Japanese light flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Ryoichi Taguchi, then added the vacant OPBF light flyweight title via fifth-round TKO of Jerson Mancio that December. A breakthrough came in April 2014 when Inoue stepped up to world level, stopping Adrián Hernández in six rounds to claim the WBC light flyweight world title. He retained that belt later the same year with an 11th-round TKO of Samartlek Kokietgym. In December 2014 Inoue moved up to junior bantamweight and knocked out long-reigning champion Omar Narváez to win the WBO junior bantamweight world title, beginning a run of defenses in Japan and abroad that included stoppage wins and unanimous decisions over a range of challengers. Inoue continued moving through the weights while collecting major belts. At bantamweight he captured the WBA (Regular) title with a first-round KO of Jamie McDonnell in May 2018 and, after a series of defenses, unified further honours by defeating Emmanuel Rodríguez in May 2019 (KO) to claim the IBF belt and The Ring bantamweight title. He defended those honours in notable bouts that include a successful 12-round decision over Nonito Donaire (November 2019), a seventh-round KO of Jason Moloney (October 2020) and a second victory over Donaire in June 2022 that added the WBC bantamweight crown. By December 2022 Inoue had added Paul Butler’s WBO bantamweight title, and in July 2023 he stepped up to super-bantamweight where he defeated Stephen Fulton by eighth-round TKO to win WBC and WBO versions at the new weight. Subsequent wins over Marlon Tapales and Luis Nery completed the undisputed collection—Inoue retained the unified WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring super-bantamweight titles and received a WBC Diamond award for the Nery bout. His championship run has combined stoppage finishes and decision wins in major arenas worldwide, including Tokyo Dome, Ariake Arena, Saitama Super Arena, the SSE Hydro and Las Vegas venues. Inoue’s 33–0 (27 KOs) ledger reflects a career built on power, positional progression through four divisions and success in world-title fights at every step. As of the latest verified fights he remains the division’s undisputed champion and a central figure in the super-bantamweight landscape.