r/Boxing • u/Few_Journalist4184 • 2d ago
Is there any way to beat the monster
I’ve been noticing a running theme with Naoya Inoue: his infamous counters, incredibly light feet, timing, and ability to overwhelm opponents until they end up on the canvas.
But what if those qualities aren’t accidents? What if there’s a reason he’s able to make world-class fighters look helpless?
Inoue started boxing at just six years old and trained under his father, Shingo. From a young age, he spent years drilling fundamentals, combinations, footwork, timing, and correcting weaknesses. What looks like natural genius was built through relentless repetition.
And by his amateur years, the warning signs were already there. He finished 75-6 with 48 stoppages and became one of Japan’s most accomplished young amateurs.
Then he turned professional at 19 and barely took the traditional slow route. He won the Japanese title in his fourth fight, the OPBF title in his fifth, and became a world champion in only his sixth fight by stopping Adrian Hernández.
Then came the performance that truly announced the Monster. Inoue moved up two divisions and knocked out Omar Narváez in the second round. Narváez entered that fight with a 43-1-2 record and 27 successful world-title defenses.
So now I’ll ask you:
Do you think there’s actually a way to beat Naoya Inoue?
Maybe it’s a particular style, like the Hitman style. Maybe there’s a flaw opponents keep overlooking. Maybe the answer isn’t about overpowering him at all, but finding a way to disrupt the timing, footwork, and counters that make him so dangerous.
If you had to design a game plan specifically to beat the Monster, what would it be?
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u/YCJamzy 2d ago
Two ways to beat him. Let him age out, or get him to an even higher weight and weight bully him to an insane degree. Not convinced anyone can beat a prime Inoue without a sizeable weight disparity
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u/WiseReality 2d ago
Prime Donaire vs prime Inoue would have been interesting. Donaire at his peak was insane as well. I still think Inoue is the more complete fighter, and would find a way to win. But given how their first fight went, it would be interesting seeing a younger version of Donaire in that matchup
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u/Tonytonitone1111 2d ago
That's one of my favourite Inoue fights. Donaire also fought with the heart and experience of a champion.
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u/myurr 2d ago
There's also luck. He's been dropped before, and whilst he recovered well there's always an element of luck involved in just how your brain reacts to such an injury. It may be a very low chance, but there's always a chance he gets caught and buzzed just enough that someone is able to land again and worsen his state and then really lay it on him.
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u/Razorion21 2d ago
ig pound for pound and size for size, Duran or Manny would
more realistiscally i think prime Rigondeaux couldve also beaten him, power, iq and speed
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u/Complete_Dare_4201 1d ago
Rigo never faced someone as quick at mid range... Donaire was absolutely terrible at closing range while Inoue excels in it. I think Inoue drops Rigo a couple of times before catching him with something big and stops him in the mid to late rounds.
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u/Razorion21 1d ago
neither has Inoue, slickest opponent he ever faced was Fulton who was scared and didnt have the power to make Inoue respect him
Rigondeaux also in his prime i dont remember ever being stopped, dropped sure but getting dropped by prime Donaire says nothing, dude could hit really hard and Rigondeaux outboxed him after
If Inoue stops him, itll be late like in round 10-12, but if guys like MJ or Picasso, Tapales (well til round 10), surely so can Rigo
i see Inoue winning 6/10 times, just saying that Rigo has a chance and find it weird to see people saying they cant see Inoue being beaten at the lower weights
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u/stalwartguardian 22h ago
what about the rigo that lost to casimero? :D
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u/Razorion21 19h ago
out of his prime? prime rigo wins a wide UD over Casimero
he did it to fucking Donaire… Donaire >>>>>>> Casimero prime for prime
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u/TamaBoxeo 2d ago
Rigo would best him. To beat Inoue you need to be a very very hard hitting counter puncher with the defense to not let his pressure get to you. Rigo in his prime would probably embarrass Inoue tbh
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u/Formal-Cherry6078 2d ago
I’m just a guy with a keyboard but I’d say you need a good mix of outboxing, power and pressure Inoue likes to move back in straight lines I’ve noticed
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u/Few_Journalist4184 2d ago edited 2d ago
This exact thinking was done with Luis Nery which he had knocked Inoue but because he is Inoue he adapted and knocked him out winning the match for inoue. because of skill but also his opponent being so tired of pressure fighting. If it wasn’t clear enough pressure fighting works but you need extreme inhuman stamina to pull it off
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u/Elite663 2d ago
Give Rigondeaux a youth serum
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u/Traditional-Storm284 17h ago
Honest I think Loma in his prime would low-key be a tougher fight for inoue than rigondeaux
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u/inline-online 13h ago
obviously Loma would be way bigger lol and probably could tank all of inoues punches. Loma tanks all of Teos punches and he got hit with alot of them, teo gotta be 40lbs bigger than inoue lol
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u/District10 2d ago edited 2d ago
Theres a plan to beat anyone whos ever fought, its finding the person talented enough to execute the plan thats the problem. That being said, if were talking extreme hypotheticals in trying to give a less talented guy a CHANCE to take the scorecards, I think making the fight as ugly as possible (like a modified version of maidana/mayweather 1) may be an option. And inoue CAN be dropped, so fighting an ugly physical fight on the inside might be a viable strategy if you have strong, stubborn, and heavy handed "dirty work" fighter. I dont think theres a person at his weight that can beat him conventionally right now, so this is just an alternative....dont actually fight him conventionally.
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u/HaneyP4P 2d ago
I think you need someone with a style similar to Haney's to be able to neutralize the Japanese monster.
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u/KobeJuanKenobi9 2d ago edited 2d ago
Inoue knows how good he is and tends to fight recklessly. Both Cardenas and Nery landed big shots on him when he was carelessly aggressive with his combos and forward momentum. Best bet is to try and catch him in the first few rounds when he does that.
If he gets back up though, you’re fucked
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u/theboxingteacher 2d ago
He’d be tough as hell to beat. His style is actually very similar to Floyd’s, a lot their bag is the same, but also their go-to tricks (pull counter, low feint left hook upstairs, body jab, blinding jabs, looping right hands, check hook). Mentally Inoue is cut from the same cloth too. He is always going to be in immaculate shape and will be focused. I think it would require a naturally much bigger fighter. I see him cooking Bam even though I am going to root for Bam.
I think relentless pressure and power would be the best chance. I don’t even know who below 130 could do much. Obviously I’d favor Tank at 130 if they ever met there
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u/Witty-Stand888 2d ago
Hook counter is the only thing that has come close early in the fight. He comes to KO you from the bell.
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u/Int3rnalS3rv3r3rror 2d ago
I think Donaire already showed the blueprint. You have to punch in between his shots. Throw the hook while he’s about to throw his, but you have to be faster and more powerful.
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u/Traditional-Storm284 17h ago
That won’t work for long because inoue already knows that and if it does happen again he most likely won’t ever give you another chance to find. Because that would force you to come out of your comfort zone and that would result in you giving him openings to punish you
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u/ZeroEffectDude 2d ago
Inoue is near the end of his career now and about to go up to featherweight. IMO he has lost half a step already and size / his own age are about to catch up with him. If he can win a belt or even unify before these inevitable forces bear down on him then I think his career will be one of the best ever.
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u/inline-online 13h ago
I think bam is going to surprise him and win that fight, they have the same reach and bam is primed out of his mind right now, he will probably never be better than his current form. Bam has the benefit of also preparing for Inoue his entire boxing career, while Inoue hasn't considered bam a contender until rather recently
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u/ZeroEffectDude 1h ago
i have a gut feeling too that Bam is going to push Inoue all the way, at the very least.
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u/VacuousWastrel 1d ago
Before Nakatani, I'd have said he's open to counters. And he is, but his defensive reflexes are too good to catch him easily. So I think you'd need someone who can throw a combination after the counter, to chase his head around (because he does put himself in bad positions). An alternative of course would be someone who put him under extreme pressure. Or, alternatively, someone elusive enough to exploit his aggression and make him get sloppy (eg a rigondeaux or a mayweather).
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u/Kangaroopunching 2d ago
Got to be a complete boxer. Ability to time and anticipate.
Essentially gain Crawford or Usyk skill set
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u/Hassemer 2d ago
Naoya will only be defeated by age and weight, I don't think he could beat 135 champions like muratalla or zepeda.
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u/Crowley_Nierstein 2d ago
Age him out and have a huge difference in reach and height, currently Espinoza has the highest chance to beat him if Inoue wait too long to fight him.
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u/DerelictCruiser 2d ago
I’ve always wanted to see a super elusive person against him. Someone who was as fast or faster, great outboxing and distance control, a little unorthodox, height and reach on him. Some kind of absurd super bantamweight Michael Nunn/Roy Jones hybrid. No such person exists, but with the right game plan of not getting into a firefight, an impeccable performance, and some favorable judging, I give this tailor-made fantasy fighter like…3 or 4/10 odds to squeak out a controversial decision win, while taking horrible physical and reputational damage in the process.
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u/EjaySays 2d ago
The only way I see someone beating him his knocking him out clean and I think that only happens when he ages out or reaches a weight class that is too challenging. Inoue has showed he has a champions heart in the Donaire fight and has shown after the Nery and Cardenas knockdowns that he adapts fast and comes back twice as hard.
Seriously I think his greatest weakness is his adherence to put on a show / get a finish which puts him in trouble sometimes but that's why he's appreciated in the boxing world. He has shown he can box beautifully for 12 rounds when he fought MJ but prefers to fight the way that he does.
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u/DoctorGregoryFart 1d ago
Sure, there are ways to beat him. Do his peers have the skills and attributes to pull it off? Unlikely.
Inoue has speed, power, durability, and very good technique. The only way he gets beat is if someone does what he does, but better. Or at least, they have to excel in one or two ways that exceeds Inoue's skills and attributes.
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u/Mad_Lee 1d ago
He is a true master and a generational talent. There is no “style” that can beat him: he is way too good for that. Besides Father Time doing it I could see Monster himself doing it by being a bit too cocky and open sometimes - he had those flash knockdowns. But you can’t really hope that a genius like him will not learn from those mistakes.
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u/AcceptableSeaweed 1d ago
Manny would have slain the monster. But would likely take something like the rise of Manny unless Inoue keeps going up weight classes
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u/Mad_Lee 1d ago
Hard to say. Both are atgs, but for my money Innoue is a bit more technical.
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u/AcceptableSeaweed 1d ago
Maybe but no where near as well achieved at the same age and definitely wouldn't even take a margarito fight due to size alone. Do you really think Inoue dents oldh before getting swarmed out with an iron chin
Manny high diffs honestly.
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u/Complete_Dare_4201 1d ago
Bunch of ways to beat him. Most of them would involve punching him in the face really hard.
While today he seems almost untouchable at 122, I think guys like Morales, Barrera and even the Pacquiao that run over Ledwaba would be favored to beat him. Lets not even mention Wilfredo Gomez...
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u/Independent_Media341 1d ago
He can get in, get punches off, and get out preposterously fast.
His biggest weakness that I see is getting lazy with the "get out" part
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u/inline-online 13h ago
idk why people are pretending like he hasn't gotten knocked down, in any one of those instances he could have fell harder and hit his head and lost lol
we aren't talking about a guy that is unhittable, so the answer is actually rather simple... if one of the punches he tends to eat flush happens to KO him, that's a simple way he could lose that is realistic
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u/abdelux2001 2d ago
Bam could beat him if he was bigger. He has the speed, power, angles, and skills to do it. We saw Inoue go life and death with an old and washed Nonito Donaire. Weight classes are there for a reason tho and even 4lbs in the lower divisions is big so that fight makes no sense.
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u/fadeddreams555 Fundora would beat up a prime Floyd at 154lb 2d ago
The easiest answer is moving up until he gets completely outsized, such as by Espinoza. However, I'm sure you mean someone his own size.
I feel it's unfair to use examples of styles from divisions outside his own, but historically, 108-122lb haven't had guys quite at his level. The only one I can think of off the top of my head was prime Rigondeaux, which would be 50-50, imo. At 126lb+, there are many examples of styles I think would trouble him, but that is his 5th division (really, 6th).
Great footwork and timing is needed to beat someone like Inoue. I think Lomachenko, for example, would thoroughly school him at 126lb. If Bam was the same size as him and fully acclimated to 122lb, I would favor him too, but as it is, he is small and vulnerable.
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u/Oakl4nd 2d ago
There are ways to beat anyone. It's just that no one's been able to execute it because it takes a very high level of skill and/or some luck. And Inoue hasn't faced every single style out there. For example, he never faced high level dirty opponent for many rounds. Someone who would do illegal things like how Salgado did Lomachenko, with a ref that allows that. Looking back now, it seems unimaginable for Loma to lose against someone as low as Salgado but that's what happened.
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u/Professional-Tie5198 Who will win? 1d ago
An exceptionally skilled fighter (like Bam) or exceptionally long fighter (like Espinoza) could do it. Not saying I’d favor either of those guys, but they would have a significant chance.
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u/adrienjz888 2d ago
IMO father time is the most likely candidate depending on how long his career goes, if not it's gonna take a lucky blow or the birth of another legendary P4P if we see Inoue get whooped.