BERNSTEIN ON BOXING IT SHOULDN’T NEED TO BE SAID By Al Bernstein
denigrating someone so your guy can be considered higher. The prologue is here because I think this phenomenon explains the main topic of this column: the surprisingly polarized views that fans have (mostly in the United States) of Naoya Inoue. To me (a person unencumbered by pound-for-pound ratings), he is simply a terrific fighter who has shown greatness in winning titles over four weight divisions and providing excitement in the process. To many fans and even some alleged pundits, I suspect he is viewed as the guy whose achievements and reputation imperil the pound-for-pound status of their favorite fighter or fighters. That is really the only logical explanation I can come up with for the animus shown toward Inoue. This column is absolutely not about comparing Inoue to other boxers in or out of any divisions within his scope. It is simply about dealing with what I think are often absurd attacks on his legitimacy as one of the most remarkable fighters of this time period. If I take you into the weeds in this endeavor, please bear with me; it is the only way to handle this. Let’s deal with these attacks one by one: 1. He has fought a weak schedule. This one is often repeated because many fans seem to be unfamiliar with the facts. Over his 12½-year career, Inoue has fought 12 former, current or future titleholders in carving out a 30-0 record. Here are some highlights: *At age 20 in only his sixth pro fight, he beat WBC junior flyweight titleholder Adrian Hernandez, who had defended his belt five times over two reigns. *After one 108-pound defense, at only 21, he moved up to 115 pounds to beat formidable two-division titleholder Omar Narvaez for the WBO junior bantamweight belt. The rugged and crafty Argentine had only lost once – a decision to Nonito Donaire at bantamweight – in 46 pro bouts. Inoue knocked Narvaez out in two rounds.
A nyone who follows me on social media or reads this column is aware that I am not interested in pound-for-pound rankings. It just doesn’t resonate with me, because in almost all instances the people on the list can’t possibly fight each other, so we have no definitive way to test out whether someone should be ranked first or tenth. I fully recognize that my viewpoint is in the minority. In recent years, the pound-for- pound rankings have become a very prevalent topic, especially on social media. Without it, fans would only
In modern-day boxing, Naoya Inoue is as good as it gets.
be debating the merits of one fighter against another within one or maybe two weight categories. With pound- for-pound added into the mix, all boxers can be pitted against each other – and with the combative nature of boxing debate and of social media, that is exactly what happens. This debate is not just about pushing one fighter for a higher pound-for-pound rating. Inevitably it becomes about
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