The Potential of Naoya Inoue Invading The Featherweight Division

“The biggest fight of my career awaits,” says Inoue. “I’m going to put my life on the line to take on that challenge. Junto Nakatani is the strongest opponent I’ve ever faced, but because of that, I think I can show the strongest version of Naoya there has ever been.”

Inoue is arguably the most dominant fighter in all of boxing. He rarely loses rounds as he has only tasted the canvas twice and scored more 10-8 rounds against his opponents than rounds lost in his entire professional career. As of now, he sits as a -450 favorite over Nakatani, possibly due to Nakatani’s most recent performance against Sebastian Hernandez in his first fight at 122 pounds, where they went back and forth in a brawl that could easily have been scored a draw.

TAKING OVER A FIFTH WEIGHT CLASS WOULD BE LEGENDARY

While Inoue isn’t overlooking Nakatani, many fans are clamoring to see the four-division champion move up to what many consider one of the two current best weight classes in boxing—the featherweight division.

“I’ll have two more fights at super bantamweight,” stated Inoue. “The fight against Junto Nakatani, and one more match I’d like to do. Once that’s over, it’s featherweight. Featherweight will be my final weight class challenge.”

Although potential mega-fights loom in the near distance for Inoue against unified super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez or a rematch against Nakatani, winning a title at featherweight, a division filled with fighters in their prime, would put the self-proclaimed Monster in rare air.

Only six male fighters have won titles in five divisions or more in boxing history. One title at featherweight will put Inoue next to all-time greats like Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and Terence Crawford. However, unlike Crawford, who took a calculated risk against an older fading Canelo Alvarez to win all four titles at super middleweight, Inoue’s road to conquering a fifth division will be far more arduous.

THE FOUR FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONS

Angelo Leo (26-1, 12 KOs), IBF champion, and Brandon Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs), WBA champion.

Part of what makes a move to featherweight for Inoue so intriguing to fans is that no matter which champion he steps in the ring against, it’s guaranteed to be a thrilling fight. The 10-time world champion is the most active elite fighter in boxing and unquestionably its most exciting practitioner.

New Mexico’s Angelo Leo has come into his own over the last few years; his IBF title-winning 10th-round knockout over Luis Alberto Lopez in August 2024 firmly established him as one of the division’s best fighters. The IBF featherweight champion is a skilled boxer with textbook fundamentals and a high ring IQ, often fighting in the mid-range. A fight against Inoue would likely mimic the pound-for-pound star’s most recent title defenses against David Alan Picasso and Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

Leo is set to defend his IBF title against Ra’eese Aleem on May 9.

Earlier this year, in February, Brandon Figueroa traveled to Liverpool, England, to capture the WBA featherweight title in dramatic fashion, stopping hometown fighter Nick Ball in the 12th round. Figueroa applies relentless pressure and is a high-volume body puncher, making him one of the more dangerous inside fighters at featherweight. A fight against Inoue would be a battle between volume and accuracy. Figueroa would attempt to walk Inoue down by forcing exchanges to test the Japanese fighter’s chin. Inoue is one of boxing’s most precise counter-punchers and would find openings in Figueroa’s defensive gaps.

Coincidentally, the only fighter to have defeated both Figueroa and Leo is Stephen Fulton, the man whom Inoue dismantled over eight rounds in July 2023 in his first fight at super bantamweight. Although both Figueroa and Leo have the ability to make it difficult for Inoue, the two-time undisputed champion would be heavily favored against either man.

Rafael Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs), WBO champion, and Bruce Carrington (17-0, 10 KOs), WBC champion.

The two fighters who would present the most significant stylistic challenges for Inoue at featherweight are Rafael Espinoza and Bruce Carrington. Standing at 6’1 with a 74-inch reach, Espinoza is by far the biggest featherweight titleholder, presenting a nightmare of a challenge for any opponent to overcome.

Similar to junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora, Espinoza can be awkward yet aggressive with heavy hands. The WBO featherweight champion can utilize his jab from the outside, but is more than willing to go blow-for-blow with his opponents. Due to his size and power alone, Espinoza would be a threat to Inoue.

Brooklyn’s Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington has been the most vocal about the possibility of fighting Inoue.

“You’re not a star unless you’re really a star in America,” Carrington stated on The Porter Way podcast. If he (Inoue) really wants to break through that threshold, come to Shu York City.”

Although being a star in the United States still holds value, it’s not nearly as vital as it has been in the past, especially for fighters at featherweight and below. For his part, Inoue has fought outside of his native Japan six times, four of which were in the United States, scoring five stoppages. Inoue’s massive popularity in Japan has yet to be matched by his contemporaries in their own regional markets, making fighting outside his home country more of a choice than a necessity.

However, according to Carrington, fighting Inoue in Japan won’t be an issue.

“It’s as possible as Inoue can make it,” Inoue explained on the Ring Champions podcast regarding a potential fight with Inoue. “I got the chip now. If he moves up, we talking.

“Whichever makes the most sense business-wise. I don’t want to give too much leverage away at the same time. If it makes sense to do it, it’s bigs there, it’s really big. If it makes sense to do it there, I’ll do it. And you know what I mean? It’s nothing sweeter than taking the crown from the champ in their hometown.”

In his most recent performance, Carrington impressed with a ninth-round knockout over Carlos Castro to win the vacant WBC featherweight title. The Brooklynite has an excellent amateur pedigree, holding a stellar 255-31 record and winning the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 125 pounds. Carrington’s jab, footwork, and set-up-based offense have enabled him to take opponents out with lethal highlight-reel combinations.

For many critics and those who still somehow doubt Inoue’s skill and prowess, a win over Carrington would be monumental. It would obliterate any notions of suspicion about Inoue’s historical standing.

THE BIG PICTURE

The featherweight division in today’s landscape is a true prime-era division. The weight class has champions in their late 20s and early 30s- nobody who could be considered past their best. If Inoue moves up, he’ll be facing fighters at or near their best.

There is plenty on the line for Inoue when he faces Nakatani. The battle for supremacy of Japan and the path of his future in boxing are all at stake. Although compelling to ponder, any anticipation regarding Inoue taking on the challenge of the featherweights will be null and void should he lose on May 2 to Nakatani.