A Trip to the USA – A Step Back for Inoue

Bob Arum, the head of Top Rank Boxing, agreed with the statement made by the undisputed world champion in the super bantamweight division (up to 55.2 kg), Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs), who claimed that Japan is the main country for lighter weight classes.

"Previously, it was believed that coming to the USA was the best way to make big money—it worked for Manny Pacquiao and Fury.

Inoue is different—he's the biggest boxing star in a wealthy country. Why come to the USA and take a step back when there’s such a huge market for you in Japan?

This is very different from Manny's arrival from the Philippines at a time when he couldn’t box anywhere else. Fighting here made him a global superstar.

For Inoue, it’s the exact opposite. Although fights in Japan create a challenging journey for his opponents, their purses compensate for the discomfort," said Arum.

Inoue has fought in the USA three times—in 2017, 2020, and 2021, finishing all these fights early. His next fight will take place on May 6 in Tokyo, with Luis Nery as his opponent.