Eddie Hearn Says Team Akhmadaliev Wants To Fight Naoya Inoue!
The super bantamweight division could be getting an undisputed champion this year. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn wants to match up unified champion Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8KO) with former undisputed bantamweight champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue (24-0, 21KO).
The boxing community was excited after news hit that unified champion Stephen Fulton and Inoue could fight later this year. Boxing pundits have been eyeing this match-up as a mega-fight. Furthermore, Inoue announcing a move into the division has plunged some life into it. Upon being victorious, Monster will undoubtedly go hunting for undisputed next.
AKMADALIEV WANTS TO FIGHT INOUE
During an interview with Boxing Social, the British promoter explained that Team MJ wants Inoue.
“Inoue wants to be undisputed at 122 pounds, right? So, by the way, Inoue against Fulton, Inoue against Akmadaliev – fucking unbelievable fights!
So we are there, Akmadaliev has a mandatory against Tapales. We are ready to fight Inoue. I’ve spoken to MJ and those guys, they want Inoue. They like that fight, we’re ready to do Akmadaliev against Inoue as well first, or for the undisputed after Fulton.”
As mentioned earlier, Akmadaliev will be facing mandatory challenger Tapales in a fourth title defense. He won the titles in a close fight by a split decision over then-unified champion Daniel Roman in 2020. In his last outing, the Uzbekistani scored a sensational stoppage over Ronny Rios in the final round.
A fight for undisputed is what this division needs, and if it happens against Inoue, that is the icing on the cake.
By: Bo Bland
