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Bruce Carrington Targets Naoya Inoue Superfight At The Mecca

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 1:28 PM ET

There’s only one name on Bruce Carrington’s mind when he talks about topping the biggest moment of his young career. And that name is Naoya Inoue. Fresh off his spectacular ninth-round knockout of Carlos Castro on the “The Ring 6” undercard at Madison Square Garden on January 31, Carrington isn’t thinking small. The newly crowned WBC featherweight champion wants a mega-fight at “The Mecca of Boxing” against arguably the most feared lower-weight fighter on the planet.

“I’ve been calling Inoue out since 2023,” Carrington told The Ring. “He’s the guy to beat in the lower weight classes.” Carrington (17-0, 10 KOs) believes the groundwork for the fight has quietly been building. Inoue has flirted publicly with the idea of moving up to featherweight. He even attended one of Carrington’s fights at The Theater at Madison Square Garden a detail Carrington hasn’t forgotten.

“It made me feel like he has his eyes on me and he knows that I have my eyes on him,” Carrington said. If Inoue makes the jump to 126 pounds, Carrington wants to be the welcoming committee.

If Bruce Carrington gets that Inoue fight thats gonna big a Mega fight! Has to be in the States!

— DaHomieSteph (@DaHomieSteph) February 16, 2026

What’s at Stake for Inoue?

Inoue, 32, is the undisputed junior featherweight champion and a former world champion at junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, and bantamweight. A move to featherweight would give him the chance to become a five-division champion further cementing his legacy as one of the era’s elite.

Currently ranked No. 2 pound-for-pound by The Ring, Inoue’s resume already includes dominant performances across multiple divisions. But stepping into the ring at 126 pounds in New York against an undefeated American champion would add a new chapter and new risk.

Carrington’s Breakout Moment

Carrington’s climb accelerated dramatically with his knockout of Castro (30-4, 14 KOs). The six-punch combination that ended the fight left Castro flat on his back and sent a clear message to the division. The victory vaulted Carrington to No. 3 in The Ring’s featherweight rankings. It also elevated his profile nationally.

“I just think he’s really established at this point, a lotta people know who he is and people are just getting to know me,” Carrington said of Inoue. “So people are like, ‘Shu Shu is just coming in. He’s not ready for this.’ But there’s so much more to my game that people haven’t seen.”

Why Madison Square Garden?

Carrington isn’t just calling for Inoue he’s calling for him in New York. Madison Square Garden has long been the sport’s proving ground, and for a Brooklyn native like Carrington, headlining there against a global superstar would represent more than a title defense.

It would be validation. Exposure. Legacy. A star-making opportunity. Carrington hopes the timing aligns either late this year or in 2027.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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