Former World Champion Commends Naoya Inoue for Taking Stephen Fulton “To School”

Naoya Inoue has become the undefeated four-division champion after his recent knockout to Stephen Fulton. Inoue now holds the WBO and WBC titles in the Super Bantamweight division. The 30-year-old boxer spurred the entire Ariake Arena in Tokyo as he stopped his opponent in the eighth round. Prior to this, he had become the Undisputed champion at Bantamweight, and then after moving up in weight class, he’s also the Unified champion at 122 lbs now. Inoue handed over Fulton the first defeat of his career, while he retained his zero-loss record.

Many praised the performance of Inoue on Tuesday night, as he made the entire fight completely one-sided. In the eighth round, when he knocked down Fulton for the first time, he started celebrating early. However, when he rose up again, he instantly pushed him to the corner. Then he attacked him with a barrage of punches. So much so that the referee had to step in and stop it. The fighter was recently complimented by a former world champion.

Keith Thurman praises Naoya Inoue for his outstanding performance

After the fight, the former world champion, Keith Thurman, made a special video for the Japanese fighter, Naoya Inoue, to congratulate him for the Fulton win. Thurman even uttered the word ‘amazing’ in Japanese as he praised the boxer. He further stated that he had seen him in Tokyo years ago, and he’s been a fan since then. He also gave his best wishes to his family and his team for a spectacular victory.

Furthermore, he said, “You just outclassed an undefeated American Champion, took that boy to school.” He also spoke about how he dominated the entire fight with sheer ease and comfort. He went on to call him the GOAT of Japan and congratulated the entire country for giving the world such a talented fighter. Well, by the video, it’s quite evident that Thurman was impressed by his skills on a whole different level.

Meanwhile, Inoue thanked Fulton’s team for accepting the fight again, as the fight got postponed earlier this year due to an injury. Also, a small controversy occurred regarding the quantity of hand-wraps, but by the fight night, everything seemed to have been resolved. Interestingly, Inoue already has his eyes set on his next target.

Who is Naoya Inoue’s next potential opponent?

After Fulton, Inoue’s next target is potentially Marlon Tapales, who holds the other two titles at 122. So, he’s looking to become the Undisputed Champion at Super Bantamweight as well. Moreover, Tapales was present at the ringside of the Fulton fight and stepped inside the ring the moment the fight concluded. He challenged Inoue for the bout, right then and there.

He said, “I want to fight Naoya Inoue because I want to prove that I am a champion.” Now, Inoue didn’t even take a split second to think and instantly replied, “Let’s do it this year!” Inoue is on his expedition to reign every division he puts his foot in, and may even be looking forward to breaking Manny Pacquiao‘s record of being the 8-division champion.

Read More: “He’s a Mean Son of a B**ch”: Mike Tyson Seen Marveling at Naoya Inoue’s Performance in a Resurfaced Clip

Well, if Inoue keeps on competing like this and moves up in the weight classes, we may see a shift in the name of the record-holder. He’s currently the Unified Champion after his previous fight. Will he be able to become the Undisputed champion at Super Bantamweight? What do you think? Let us know in the comments down below.

Watch This Story: Stephen Fulton vs Naoya Inoue: When ‘The Monster’ Decimated The ‘Cool Boy’