Sam Goodman has been replaced by the WBO’s tenth-ranked contender, Ye Joon Kim. The Seoul-born super bantamweight will take on ‘The Monster’ of boxing on January 24 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. Ideally, this fight should have taken place before the end of last year. Initially scheduled for December 24, the title defense was postponed after Goodman sustained a cut on his eyelid.

Ten days into the new year, news broke that Goodman had officially withdrawn from the bout due to a recurrence of his eye injury. The search for a replacement began and concluded with the announcement of Ye Joon Kim as Inoue’s new opponent. For Naoya Inoue, who signed a $19 million promotional deal with HE Turki Alalshikh‘s Riyadh Season last year, starting the year with a win is crucial. As the fight approaches, let’s analyze how these two boxers measure up against each other.

Predicting Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim: Who has better stats and record?

This matchup is a no-brainer. With an undefeated record of 28 wins, 25 of them by knockout, Naoya Inoue stands atop the boxing world. Alongside Artur Beterbiev, the Kanagawa-born fighter is one of only two current undisputed champions. Inoue, who was awarded Ring Magazine’s 2023 Fight of the Year, has already dazzled fans with his electrifying performances, jumping weight classes to claim consecutive undisputed titles.

Ye Joon Kim, on the other hand, began his professional career around the same time as Inoue. His decade-long journey has seen its share of breaks and two losses. Nevertheless, he boasts an impressive resume, having held titles such as the WBC Youth, IBF Asia, and WBO Oriental super bantamweight championships. Kim has participated in 25 fights, securing 21 wins, with nearly half of his victories coming by way of early stoppages.

Inoue and Joon Kim height, weight, reach comparison, and more

The 32-year-old Ye Joon Kim’s reach remains undisclosed. However, standing at 5 feet 4 inches (163 centimeters), he is about an inch shorter than the Japanese champion. It appears ‘The Monster’ enjoys a slight physical advantage. He stands 5 feet 5 inches (165 centimeters) and boasts a reach of 67.5 inches (171 centimeters).

The final weigh-ins for the event have yet to take place. However, for context, it’s useful to note the weights of the two fighters in their previous bouts. Inoue weighed in at 122.0 pounds for his fight against TJ Doheny. Unfortunately, similar to his reach, the weight details for Ye Joon Kim are unavailable.

Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim: Who has the edge?

Naoya Inoue is the clear favorite heading into this bout, with reportedly three of his belts on the line. Current odds suggest ‘The Monster’ will step into the ring as a dominant -4000 favorite, while Ye Joon Kim enters as a +1500 underdog. Although subject to change as the fight approaches, the disparity highlights the immense challenge Kim faces.

Even with conservative estimates, it’s hard to envision Ye Joon Kim, who goes by the moniker ‘Pacquiweather,’ pulling off an upset against such a formidable opponent. Realistically, the Korean fighter would need a near-miraculous performance to achieve a history-defining victory. However, boxing is a sport of surprises, as evidenced by the shocking Bruno Surace–Jaime Munguia bout in Tijuana last month.

For some diehard fans, Kim’s fight may seem like a tune-up for Naoya Inoue. With resurging whispers of a potential matchup against interim champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev – or even a showdown with fellow rising Japanese star Junto Nakatani – the January 24 bout could serve as preparation for more high-stakes clashes down the line.

The fight night promises plenty of excitement with a stacked undercard. Fans should keep an eye on the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight clash between Goki Kobayashi and Yuni Takada. Top welterweight contender Jin Sasaki will defend his WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) titles from Shoki Sakai. Other matchups include Tsubasa Narai versus Kai Watanabe and Toshiki Shimomachi versus Misaki Hirano.

What do you think? Should Naoya Inoue set his sights on a high-octane clash against Murodjon Akhmadaliev as the boxing world continues to heat up?