Naoya Inoue v Paul Butler to Battle in December for Undisputed Title!
In October 2021, unified bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) went public stating that his mission for 2022 is to become the undisputed bantamweight champion of the world. He will now get the chance to accomplish that goal. According to ESPN, Inoue and WBO champion Paul Butler (34-2, 15 KOs) have agreed to face each other on December 13 in Inoue’s home country of Japan. The bout will air live on the ESPN+ streaming service.
Inoue is coming off a sensational second-round stoppage win over then WBC champ Nonito Donaire in June 2022. Butler’s last outing was a decision victory over Jonas Sultan to capture the WBO Interim title in April 2022. He was later elevated to full-time champ after the sanctioning body stripped the then WBO champion, John Riel Casimero.
READY TO PUT IT ON THE LINE
Previously an IBF champion at 118, Butler welcomes the challenge of facing someone highly regarded by pundits and fans. Immediately following Inoue’s demolition of Donaire, the 33-year-old from Cheshire, England said if the fight were presented to him, he would accept it without hesitation.
But he has a daunting task ahead. Ranked third in the 3Kings Boxing Top Ten Fighter Rankings, Inoue is a fighter in his prime. The 29-year-old from Yokohama, Japan is a three-division world champion and a future Hall of Famer. Most pundits will consider him a sizeable favorite. This is a fight with historical ramifications. The winner will be the first undisputed 118-pound champion in the four-belt world title era.
Reading Time: 2 minutes
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
