Naoya Inoue Responds: Was Usyk’s 'Fighter of the Year' Award Deserved?

Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) shared his thoughts on heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs), who holds the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO titles.

"Usyk is a great fighter, no doubt about it… Of course, we will never face each other because our weight classes are worlds apart, so I don’t focus on him the way I do on fighters in my division or nearby. But yes, given his year, he deserves the title of 'Fighter of the Year,'" said Inoue.

On January 24, Naoya Inoue will defend his titles against South Korean contender Kim Ye Joon.

On May 18, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Britain’s Tyson Fury via split decision, becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion (over 200 lbs / 90.7 kg) since 1999. In their December 21 rematch, the Ukrainian repeated his triumph, winning by unanimous decision.