Koki Inoue is hanging up the gloves
In a surprising move, Japanese junior welterweight contender Koki Inoue (15-1, 12 KOs) has decided to call it a day. The 28-year-old disclosed his intentions to retire from boxing via his Twitter page.
This decision comes in the aftermath of his stunning 7th round TKO upset defeat at the hands of the undistinguished Daishi Nagata (15-2-1, 6 KOs) on July 16 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. It was a loss that sent shock waves throughout boxing circles in Japan.
In disclosing his decision on social media, Koki Inoue stated he plans to move on towards the next stage of life. Outside of the ring, he is a bit of a geek and a huge fan of Anime. And during a July 9 YouTube interview with former multi-division world champion Akira Yaegashi, he stated he would like to venture into the Animation industry once his boxing days are over.
While Inoue claims he’s hanging up the gloves, it’s still a question whether he will remain retired. He’s coming off the first defeat of his pro career; he’s still young in the game.
Before this loss against Nagata, Inoue won the WBO Asia-Pacific Junior Welterweight title in his previous bout and was on the verge of tackling the world stage. So this retirement could very well be the emotional byproduct of a startling setback. Once he’s had time to sit back and reflect, he may have a change of heart and decide to return to the ring.
By: Michael WIlson Jr.
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