Oubaali wants a shot at Inoue

WBC world bantamweight champ Nordine Oubaali is open to meeting Japan’s ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue in a future unification showdown.

French boxing hero Oubaali (15-0, 11 KOs) shinned in the U.S when he outpointed Rau’shee Warren in January to win the title and will make his first defense on the historic #FutureLegendsofNurSultan show on July 6.

As he prepares to fight his first challenger live on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, Oubaali said in a press release:“I’m feeling good. I’m preparing for my next fight and I’m very happy to be boxing in Kazakhstan. Boxing in new places in good for me.

NEW GOAL ?@WBCBoxing world champion @nordineoubaali is already talking about a unification clash with Inoue…

First, he fights on a historic bill in Kazakhstan ??

MORE ➡ https://t.co/qFekfdJ2n0

? July 6
? @ESPN+ / @iFLTV#TeamMTKGlobal #FutureLegendsofNurSultan pic.twitter.com/AvB5AfJBQ1

— MTK Global ? (@MTKGlobal) May 23, 2019

“I’ve fought in France, in the U.S and now I’m boxing here so I’m very proud.

“I’m world champion and very happy. This will be my first defence and after this, my objective is unification.

“I hope to fight Inoue soon. For this next fight, I’ll make a voluntary, then I’ll box my mandatory challenger but after that, why wouldn’t I fight Inoue? It’ll be good for me.

“Inoue put on a good performance against Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a good boxer but he doesn’t have the punch of Inoue. Against Inoue, you need tactics.

“Inoue is a puncher but his tactics are not difficult. Rau’shee Warren is very difficult because he’s slick whereas Inoue is very strong.

“I’m proud to be boxing on ESPN+. It’s great to be shown in the USA. If you want big fights, you need to have the U.S audience watching you.”

Alongside Oubaali on a landmark evening for Kazakh boxing, the likes of Zhankosh Turarov, Viktor Kotochigov, Sultan Zaurbek, Ali Baloyev, Abilkhaiyr Shegaliyev and Nurtas Azhbenov will look to delight home fans on this broadcast.

Oubaali is a highly decorated amateur who in those ranks captured bronze at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships and European Union Amateur Boxing Championships before turning pro in 2014.