Inoue's Boxing Brilliance: Tokyo's Hero Won Almost Every Round!

On December 26 in Tokyo, Japan, home-grown hero Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) clinched a knockout victory in the tenth round against Filipino contender Marlon Tapales (37-4, 19 KOs). This triumph marked Inoue's ascension as a two-time undisputed world champion. Rewind to last December, and you'll find Inoue overpowering Steven Butler, seizing the undisputed champion title in the Bantamweight (up to 53.5 kg). Fast forward to now, Inoue reigns supreme as the undisputed champion in the Super bantamweight category (up to 55.225 kg).

Naoya floored his rival with a knockdown in the fourth round, repeating the feat in the tenth. After this second tumble, Tapales struggled fiercely but couldn't rise to his feet.

Judges' Scorecards

Naoya was ahead on every judge's card when the bout was halted. One judge scored only the 7th round in Tapales' favor, while another credited him with both the 7th and 8th rounds. The third ringside judge awarded all rounds to the Japanese fighter.

Fight Statistics

Naoya connected with 146 out of 401 punches thrown, overshadowing Tapales, who managed 52 hits from 310 attempts. Inoue showed superior skill with his jab, landing 32 compared to Marlon's mere 9.

Regarding power punches, Naoya landed 114, dwarfing Tapales' 43.

What's on the Horizon?

Naoya Inoue will continue to compete in the featherweight division. Despite anticipating a weight class shift, the Japanese titan isn't rushing to change categories. Here's a potential matchup: the WBC's Luis Neri might enter the ring against him.

Inoue now boasts the title of a two-time all-around champion, a feat only Terence Crawford has achieved before him. He also etches his name in history as the first-ever undisputed champion of the super lightweight division, established in 1976.