[ODDS and EVENS] Naoya Inoue Rolls with the Punches in Preparation for Latest Title Defense
Ed Odeven 
Naoya Inoue (left) and Ye Joon Kim pose for photographs in Yokohama on January 22, two days before their bantamweight title fight in Tokyo. (©SANKEI)
Read the full story on SportsLook - [ODDS and EVENS] Naoya Inoue Rolls with the Punches in Preparation for Latest Title Defense
"Man plans, God laughs," an old Yiddish proverb tells us. Yep, more times than not, life doesn't always go according to plan, so expect the unexpected. Boxers, including Naoya Inoue, aren't immune from these facts.
Inoue has had to adjust his plans multiple times over the past several weeks for his next title defense. At the same time, he appears to be handling it with a positive mindset.
The brilliant boxer's next fight is on Friday, January 24 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena against South Korean Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2, 10 KOs).
"It was a real plus for me to get my body into shape over a longer period of time. I could realize this was the best way to condition myself," Inoue was quoted as saying by Kyodo News at a pre-fight news conference in Yokohama on Wednesday.
The boxing superstar known as "The Monster" to his legions of fans, added, "I'll give everything I have and fight believing in my 25-year career."
Unexpected Change of Plans for Naoya Inoue
Inoue (28-0, 25 knockouts), the undisputed super bantamweight world champion, has continued his high-intensity training at Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama while he faced a one-month delay (from December 24, 2024 to January 24, 2025) to a fight against Australian Sam Goodman.
A mid-December cut above Goodman's left eye during training resulted in the delay. And then an injury that was stronger than the first one but in the same spot followed a month later.
Goodman, the WBO's top-ranked super bantamweight, pulled out of the fight. Enter replacement Kim, who is ranked No 11 by the WBO in the weight class.
Inoue is clearly prepared for the new challenge.
"Maybe some boxers can't properly deal with their opponent changing at the last minute, but for me, whoever I am facing I know I have a wide range of skills," Inoue told reporters on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse.
Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
