What’s Next for Naoya Inoue? Bob Arum Teases Big U.S. Fight After Tokyo Victory

On September 3, at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) retained his undisputed super bantamweight crown against TJ Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs) by a seventh-round TKO. The fight headlined an Ohashi Promotions card, with fans in United States catching the action on ESPN+. Those in the United Kingdom could do so with Sky Sports, while those in Japan could watch on Lemino. Following the dominating but bizarre stoppage win, attention quickly turned to the next fight for the Japanese star, and Bob Arum has revealed the plans for “Monster.”

Naoya Inoue Defeats TJ Doheny  – Bob Arum Talks Next Fight

Inoue vs. Doheny

The opening round of the fight was mainly quiet, with Inoue pursuing Doheny. The challenger tried his best to block many of the power punches of “Monster” but the power gradually wore down Doheny, with the Japanese star enjoying a dominant sixth round, landing eye-catching heavy punches.

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Just 16 seconds into round seven, Inoue landed a heavy-looking body punch combination forcing his opponent to take a knee and the referee ultimately waved the fight off. “Monster.”

Naoya Inoue Next Fight: Bob Arum Reveals Plans for ‘Monster’

Following the latest Inoue win, Promoter and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum revealed what’s next for the all-conquering Japanese star: “I understand he’ll be coming back here to Tokyo to defend his title again at the end of the year and then we’re taking him to the United States for a big celebration in Las Vegas,” Arum said. 

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Inoue continues to keep his name among the elite pound-for-pound boxers in the world with these dominant performances. The plan outlined by Arum is a fascinating one, with a big celebration set for Las Vegas next year.