Via Jack Tien Nam: WBC/WBO Super Chicken Champion Stephen Fulton (21-0.8 KO) & Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue (24-0, 21 KO) have agree to the terms for a fight on GAME+ in the May.
Fulton’s two 122 lb titles will be for former three-category world champion Inoue trying to win to become a four-category champion.
What is sure to make boxing fans happy is the Fulton vs. Inoue will be streamed on the ESPN+ app instead of being sold on a pay-per-view basis like most other exciting matches taking place in March and April.
The belt-hungry 29-year-old Inoue just won the December 13 undisputed bantamweight title, defeating WBO champion Paul Butler by knockout in the 11th round.
Since then, Inoue has given up four belts and is looking to claim the belt at 122 to become the undisputed champion in that weight class.
Inoue may require more to repeat the feat at super bantamweight as Fulton is definitely a better fighter than the four that the Japanese star defeated at 118th to become undisputed.
Inoue has won four 118 lb belts from these fighters:
- Paul Butler – WBO
- Nonito Donaire – WBC
- Jamie McDonnell – WBA
- Emmanuel Rodriguez – IBF
Fulton is on a different level than those fighters, so it won’t be easy for Inoue to strip him of his WBC & WBO super bantamweight title as it won his four belts at 118.
Inoue might be a bit shocked to discover that Fulton can’t be knocked down as easily as the fighters he regularly knocks out in the 112, 115, and 118 lb weight classes.
It’s good that PBC, who drives Fulton, and Top Rank, who handles Inoue, won’t be in the way of this fight going. It would be a pity if Inoue didn’t at least have a chance to win the world championship in the fourth division.
You don’t want to see the problems that keep Top Rated and PBC from working together so often that get in the way of the Fulton-Inoue fight.
Stephen Fulton and Naoya Inoue have agreed to terms for a 122-pound unification title fight in the spring in Japan,” Mike Coppinger told. GAME. Fulton’s WBC and WBO featherweight belt wars are being targeted for May, sources said, although a specific date has yet to be set.
“The match will be streamed on ESPN+ in the morning in the states, according to sources. Inoue usually fights on Tuesdays in Japan.”
