Naoya Inoue breaks down, stops overmatched Jason Moloney

Naoya Inoue broke down and ultimately stopped overmatched Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jason Moloney is good. Naoya Inoue is special. Thus, the result of their fight was no surprise.

Inoue methodically broke down the game, but overmatched Australian, put him down twice and ultimately stopped him with a second to go in Round 7 Saturday night inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas.

The Japanese phenom, who retained his bantamweight title, was coming off the toughest fight of his life: a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire last November in which he had to fight through a broken orbital bone and a bad cut.

Inoue’s face held up perfectly and he never looked better.

“As you go through fight by fight, you learn things from the previous fight,” Inoue said through a translator. “Regarding that, I think I’m getting wiser and better.”

Jason Moloney couldn’t get to his feet after he went down in Round 7. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Moloney (21-2, 18 KOs) had won four consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in his first title shot in 2018, including a seventh-round knockout of Leonardo Baez in July. He’s a capable fighter.

The problem is that Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) is otherworldly. He was faster, more powerful and ultimately just much better than his opponent on Saturday.

Inoue patiently picked Moloney apart with his stiff jab and well-timed power punches from the opening bell, gradually picking up his pace and causing more and more damage as the fight progressed. Moloney simply didn’t have answers for what Inoue threw at him.

Moloney went down for the first time about 30 seconds into Round 6, the result of a counter left hook. He wasn’t terribly hurt but went into survival mode to finish the round.

Inoue didn’t do much in Round 7, which gave the illusion that Moloney had rebounded ever so slightly. Then, in the final seconds, Inoue landed a counter straight right that put Moloney down again. He was on all fours as the referee counted. When he tried to get up onto just his knees, he toppled over.

That was that. The ref ended it there.

It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

“The final punch, the finishing punch, I’m very happy and satisfied with that punch,” Inoue said. “Moloney has a great defense, and it was difficult to get through. The two [knockdown] punches you mentioned are something we really practiced in Japan a lot.

“And I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Inoue, No. 3 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is the boogeyman of the 118-pound division but he has talented rivals at the weight. The best are fellow titleholders Nordine Oubaali and Johnriel Casimero, who Inoue was expected to face before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

Another option mentioned by Inoue is a rematch with Donaire.

“Those [fighters],” he said, “are in are in my sights as far as targets go.”

The problem for them is that they would also be in his sights in the ring. That never ends well.

***

In preliminary bouts, Mikael Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) won a vacant junior lightweight title by easily outpointing previously unbeaten Ewa Broadnicka (19-1, 2 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

And junior lightweight prospect Robson Conceicao (15-0, 7 KOs) survived a knockdown and two point deductions to defeat Luis Coria (12-4, 7 KOs) by a close unanimous decision.

Naoya Inoue breaks down, stops overmatched Jason Moloney

Naoya Inoue broke down and ultimately stopped overmatched Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jason Moloney is good. Naoya Inoue is special. Thus, the result of their fight was no surprise.

Inoue’s face held up perfectly and he never looked better.

“As you go through fight by fight, you learn things from the previous fight,” Inoue said through a translator. “Regarding that, I think I’m getting wiser and better.”

The problem is that Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) is otherworldly. He was faster, more powerful and ultimately just much better than his opponent on Saturday.

Moloney went down for the first time about 30 seconds into Round 6, the result of a counter left hook. He wasn’t terribly hurt but went into survival mode to finish the round.

That was that. The ref ended it there.

“And I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Another option mentioned by Inoue is a rematch with Donaire.

“Those [fighters],” he said, “are in are in my sights as far as targets go.”

The problem for them is that they would also be in his sights in the ring. That never ends well.

***

In preliminary bouts, Mikael Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) won a vacant junior lightweight title by easily outpointing previously unbeaten Ewa Broadnicka (19-1, 2 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

And junior lightweight prospect Robson Conceicao (15-0, 7 KOs) survived a knockdown and two point deductions to defeat Luis Coria (12-4, 7 KOs) by a close unanimous decision.

Naoya Inoue: ‘I want to meet expectations’

Naoya Inoue is scheduled to defend his title against Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Naoya “Monster” Inoue typically takes his opponents to hell but, to the surprise of many, he experienced a little of that himself in his most-recent fight.

The Japanese phenom had to fight through a painful storm to outpoint Nonito Donaire in their Fight of the Year war last November in Saitama, suffering a broken orbital bone, a broken nose and a bad cut yet emerging with a unanimous-decision victory.

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) remained unbeaten and unified two 118-pound titles but seemed human for the first time.

He’s had almost a year to heal – without surgery — so he should be healthy when he returns to the ring Saturday inside the “bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (ESPN).

“The Donaire fight was surely the toughest fight of my career,” Inoue told RingTV.com. “But it was also a fight where I gained a lot of experience. And that will make me a better fighter.”

Naoya Inoue (right) had to dig deep to get past Nonito Donaire in his most-recent fight. AP Photo / Toru Takahashi

Inoue was originally scheduled to face fellow titleholder Johnriel Casimero in April but that fight gave way to the coronavirus pandemic. The Filipino slugger accepted a fight with Duke Micah in September, which opened the door for Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs).

The Australian lost a split decision to then-bantamweight titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez in October 2018 but has won three consecutive fights since, including an impressive seventh-round knockout of Leonard Baez in June at the MGM Grand.

“I think that everything happens for a reason, and that loss that I suffered against Rodriguez showed me how much I want this,” Moloney said. “I will not let myself lose again. On Saturday night, nothing will stop me, and I will become the best bantamweight in the world.”

Easier said than done. BetMGM has listed Inoue as an 8-1 underdog, which is no surprise given his track record and imposing combination of speed, ability and crushing power.

Moloney isn’t fazed.

“I know I can win this fight,” he said. “I don’t care if some people think that I can’t win this fight. I believe, and I know that I can win it. He has never faced a fighter as relentless as me. I’m going to take him to places he has never been before.

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”

Inoue is fighting in the United States because he wants to become a global star on the level of Manny Pacquiao. To do that, he will have to go back to annihilating opponents.

He hasn’t used such a strong adjective to describe his work but he implied that he plans to look like the pre-Donaire “Monster” on Halloween.

“This past year, my injuries have healed very well,” Inoue said. “With COVID-19, it’s has been tough training, but it has been the same for everyone else. We still have to go out there and perform at a high level. I see [Moloney] as a high-level, all-around fighter.

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

[lawrence-related id=15059,6625,5793]

Naoya Inoue: ‘I want to meet expectations’

Naoya Inoue is scheduled to defend his title against Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Naoya “Monster” Inoue typically takes his opponents to hell but, to the surprise of many, he experienced a little of that himself in his most-recent fight.

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) remained unbeaten and unified two 118-pound titles but seemed human for the first time.

He’s had almost a year to heal – without surgery — so he should be healthy when he returns to the ring Saturday inside the “bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (ESPN).

“The Donaire fight was surely the toughest fight of my career,” Inoue told RingTV.com. “But it was also a fight where I gained a lot of experience. And that will make me a better fighter.”

Easier said than done. BetMGM has listed Inoue as an 8-1 underdog, which is no surprise given his track record and imposing combination of speed, ability and crushing power.

Moloney isn’t fazed.

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”

Inoue is fighting in the United States because he wants to become a global star on the level of Manny Pacquiao. To do that, he will have to go back to annihilating opponents.

He hasn’t used such a strong adjective to describe his work but he implied that he plans to look like the pre-Donaire “Monster” on Halloween.

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

[lawrence-related id=15059,6625,5793]

Fighter of the Year: Boxing Junkie staffers pick Canelo Alvarez 2-1

Two Boxing Junkie staffers picked Canelo Alvarez for their Fighter of the Year, one went with Naoya Inoue.

The process of selecting a Fighter of the Year comes down to two factors: level of opposition and results.

A number of elite fighters faced high-level foes and had favorable results. That would include Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao, Naoya Inoue, Errol Spence Jr., Josh Taylor and a few others. A case can be made for each.

For this post, Boxing Junkie staff members selected their personal Fighter of the Year. And if majority rules, we came up with a collective winner: Alvarez.

Here are our choices for Fighter of the Year and thoughts:

MICHAEL ROSENTHAL

Choice: Canelo Alvarez
Results: Daniel Jacobs (UD 12), Sergey Kovalev (KO 11)

Alvarez defeated Jacobs by a unanimous decision in May, although the fight was close. And he closed out the year by moving up two divisions and knocking out Kovalev in the 11^th round last month.

That’s a strong year.

Alvarez’s performance against Kovalev wasn’t great – the fight was tight on the cards at the time of the stoppage – but the ending was spectacular.

I think Alvarez’s principal rival for the award is the ageless Pacquiao, who, at 40 years old, easily outpointed Adrien Broner and then defeated Keith Thurman by a unanimous decision.

That’s a fine year but, if we want to quibble, the smallish Broner has never performed well at welterweight and Thurman was still in the process of coming back from a long layoff, although the latter victory by Pacquiao was still special.

Canelo Alvarez moved up two weight classes to face Sergey Kovalev and stopped him. AP Photo / John Locher

SEAN NAM

Choice: Canelo Alvarez

Sure, Sergey Kovalev was past his prime, but how many fighters would skip two weight classes to challenge perhaps the most accomplished light heavyweight of the past half decade?

Alvarez did exactly that and did not disappoint, applying methodical pressure before scoring a vicious 11th round knockout last month.

And at middleweight Alvarez outpointed top contender Danny Jacobs.

Naoya Inoue of Japan (right) and Nonito Donaire turned in a classic last month, with Inoue emerging victorious. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images

NORM FRAUENHEIM

Choice: Naoya Inoue
Results: Emmanuel Rodriguez (KO 2), Nonito Donaire (UD 12)

Inoue gets the nod over Alvarez because of just one fight. Inoue’s dramatic victory over Nonito Donaire was one for the ages, a Fight of the Year in just about any year.

Canelo had a good year, beating Danny Jacobs, who in retrospect might have been drained in his battle to make weight. On the morning of the bout, he missed a weight mandated by a dehydration clause. Against Sergey Kovalev, Canelo was a finisher – meaning he ended any debate in a 11^th-round stoppage. Yet it often looked as if Kovalev was there only to pick up a paycheck.

In Inoue-Donaire, there were no questions, no doubt in either corner about what had transpired. On every level, it was a classic. Win it, and you are Fighter of the Year.

Good, bad, worse: Give Deontay Wilder respect he deserves

Deontay Wilder deserves credit for what he has accomplished even if you’re critical of his boxing skills.

GOOD

One tweet seemed to represent the anti-Deontay Wilder sect after the heavyweight titleholder’s chilling one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday night in Las Vegas: “Wilder is still pure (excrement).”

What does Wilder have to do to cease being excrement?

The Tweeter obviously was referring to Wilder’s perceived lack of elite boxing ability. What about results? Wilder has had 43 heavyweight fights. He has ended 41 of them early, including Bermane Stiverne in their rematch. The only opponent he hasn’t knocked out is Tyson Fury, with whom he drew last December.

Isn’t the objective to win? The man is unbeaten and has successfully defended his title 10 times, which ties Muhammad Ali at No. 5 on the all-time list in a single heavyweight reign. He also moved into No. 7 for total defenses.

And isn’t a second goal to entertain the spectators? The fans love spectacular knockouts and Wilder delivers … again and again and again.

Wilder will never be a great technician. He admits it. If that is something you require to enjoy boxing, then Wilder isn’t for you. If you admire a fighter who wins consistently and provides one thrill after another, enjoy Wilder while you can. He’s 34.

And for the record: He certainly is a good enough boxer. He has the ability to set up his big shots, to position himself at the right distance, to recognize an opportunity and to unload at just the right time. That takes skill.

Wilder said at the post-fight news conference: “I deserve respect.” Yes, he does.

BAD

Deontay Wilder’s knockouts should be celebrated on a grander scale than they are now. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions

The reported attendance at the Wilder-Ortiz card was 10,000-plus. The capacity at the MGM Grand Garden Arena is around 17,000. And if I had to guess the number of domestic pay-per-view buys it will have generated, I’d say around 350,000.

Those aren’t impressive numbers, which is not a good commentary on Wilder’s popularity.

What’s going on? One theory is that this isn’t a good time of year, with the holidays around the corner, to stage a major fight. That makes sense. Competition from the NFL, college football and the NBA doesn’t help, obviously.

Frankly, fighters aren’t promoted like they used to be. And, who knows, maybe he’d resonate with more sports fans if he fought more often. That just isn’t how it’s done these days.

What’s the point? All of the above is a shame given the excitement Wilder generates. His knockouts should be celebrated in a way that Mike Tyson’s once were because they’re every bit as dramatic.

Again, though, these are different times. Boxing, while perfectly healthy, isn’t as mainstream as it once was. Even a dominating heavyweight champion, as Wilder is becoming, can largely fly under the radar in today’s environment.

Perhaps Wilder will gain more and more traction across a larger landscape with every opponent he puts to sleep going forward. In the meantime, those who are paying attention now are having a blast.

WORSE

Brandon Figueroa (left) said Julio Ceja’s extra weight was a factor in their fight. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions

The word knowledgeable people use is “unprofessional.”

Luis Nery came in a pound overweight for his scheduled fight against Emmanuel Rodriguez on the Wilder-Ortiz undercard. He was given time to lose the pound but reportedly refused to make an attempt. He subsequently offered Rodriguez money and a rehydration limit but Rodriguez decided that danger exceeded reward and the fight was canceled.

Nery also has failed to make weight in the past. Suggestion: Move up a division.

Julio Ceja failed to make the junior featherweight limit by a whopping 4½ pounds, which technically made him a junior lightweight, for his fight with Brandon Figueroa. Still, Figueroa agreed to go ahead with the fight.

Perhaps that was a mistake. Ceja was an immovable object in the fight, which ended in a controversial draw. Afterward, Figueroa said Ceja’s extra weight was a factor.

“I basically fought a person in a weight class above mine tonight,” Figueroa said. “I’m pretty sure if he weighed 122, it wouldn’t even be a close fight. We have to run the rematch back but he better make the weight.”

Fighters have always pushed the limit on weight, believing they’ll have an edge over their opponents the lower they go. That’s not going to change. Fighters will continue to miss weight.

That said, it might be good idea to follow this plan: One, make weight. Two, in the event that doesn’t happen, try to make the limit within the extra time allotted. And, three, if that doesn’t work, make a reasonable offer when negotiating to step into the ring overweight.

In other words, be professional.

Barthelemy-Ramirez to replace canceled Nery-Rodriguez on Fox Pay-Per-View

Leduan Barthelemy vs. Eduardo Ramirez will replace the canceled Luis Nery vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez fight on pay-per-view tonight.

LAS VEGAS – Luis Nery’s inability to make weight was a break for Leduan Barthelemy and Eduardo Ramirez on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz II card Saturday at MGM Grand.

Nery on Friday failed to make the 118-pound limit by one pound for his bantamweight fight against Emmanuel Rodriguez and evidently didn’t believe he could lose it in subsequent attempts to make weight. Rodriguez, who made weight, then decided not to face an over-the-weight opponent because of “safety reasons”and the fight was canceled, according to a news release.

As a result, the featherweight fight between Barthelemy and Ramirez, originally scheduled to be televised on FS2, will kick off the Pay-Per-View portion of the card.

Barthelemy (15-0-1, 7 KOs) and Ramirez (22-2-3, 9 KOs), a former title challenger, fought to a 10-round draw in September 2017.

Also, Julio Ceja was 4½ pounds over the 122-limit for his fight against Brandon Figueroa but the fight will go on. Figueroa weighed 122.

How to watch Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz II on pay-per-view

Deontay Wilder will put his heavyweight title on the line in a rematch with Luis Ortiz on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Here’s how to watch.

Undefeated heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will put his title on the line in a highly anticipated rematch with Luis Ortiz Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Wilder defeated Ortiz by a 10th-round TKO in their first fight 19 months ago, but Ortiz has won his last three fights and has the power to end the bout in a single punch.

Watch Wilder v. Ortiz II LIVE on Pay-Per-View

The Wilder vs. Ortiz II pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 23. You can order the PPV online here for $74.99.

Wilder vs. Ortiz II can be streamed via the Fox Sports app on the App Store or Google Play, on your TV via Roku, Xbox One, Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV, or on your computer or smart devices via FoxSports.com.

There are three other fights on the undercard:

Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1) vs. Miguel Flores (24-2) for a junior lightweight title; Luis Nery (30-0) vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1) in a bantamweight fight; and Brandon Figueroa (20-0) vs. Julio Ceja (32-4) in a junior bantamweight bout.

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