A MONSTER’S PASSION NAOYA INOUE HAS CONQUERED FOUR DIVISIONS, SUMMITED THE POUND-FOR-POUND MOUNTAIN AND GAINED STARDOM IN HIS AWESTRUCK NATION, BUT HE SAYS A LOVE OF BOXING IS STILL PUSHING HIM TO ACHIEVE MORE By Daisuke Sugiura
O n February 24 at Ohashi Gym in Yokohama, Japan, the author sat down for an exclusive interview with undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue (29- 0, 26 KOs). Due to Inoue’s wishes and the author’s schedule, the conversation was coincidentally set for the afternoon of Junto Nakatani’s latest bantamweight title defense against David Cuellar. An inevitable fight between the two Japanese warriors is widely seen as one of the most explosive matchups in boxing – one that could send tremors through the pound-for-pound list.
66 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
Illustration by Chris Wormell
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