Reading Naoya Inoue’s record gives clarity to how much more he has achieved than the other great fighters of his era. His schedule since he was 20 years old has been made up exclusively of fights with major titles on the line. A total of 21 bouts in 10 years, all of which he has won with only 2 going the distance. This past Boxing Day Inoue beat Marlon Tapales to become the first man in the history of the “4 belt era” to unify the 122lb division.
This is after unifying at 118lbs and winning world titles in both the 115lb and the 108lb divisions. After his 8th round finish of the great Stephen Fulton back in July it was not without good reason that many saw this fight as a formality. Although Tapales did lose, with Inoue performing as advertised, the Phillipino southpaw went in to win and although he probably failed to even win a single round, his performance raises some interesting questions about what Inoue’s limits are.
Inoue’s Strong Opening
As the fight began it became clear that the speed and power differences were going to define the action. Inoue’s opening jab looked 2-3 times faster than the one Tapales returned with. Inoue in the weight class he is currently fighting in can take liberties with boxing technique and strategy. He was reckless because his innate physical gifts allowed it.
For example Inoue opened by making Tapales lower his head and countering this movement with the uppercut to the body. A notoriously difficult punch to land, this shot is often only effective for slowing down wild brawlers. Inoue can use it against an opponent who isn’t throwing because he can identify if they are in position to punch. The lead hand movement and dipping of his head to make Tapales dip down into the punch were sound tactics. His ability to land the punch then step out of range before Tapales could do anything was testament to his physical gifts.
The uppercut was only one of the punches Inoue used in the early rounds to break down Tapale’s high guard. Working of this he would fire the straight right hand and the looping right hook. The shot selection here is smart because the appropriate defensive reaction for each punch opened Tapales up for another. If Tapales reacted to the uppercut by maintaining an upright posture he would be hit by the straight right hand. If Tapales attempted to slip the straight right hand he would move into the path of the looping punch.
Once again the looping punch is a luxury afforded to Inoue because of hus physical talent. He could throw a looping shot faster than Tapales could throw a straight one. If Inoue had used only one of these shots then he would have reduced his chances of a knockout. Tapales simply had to defend more targets than he could obstruct at once. This defensive task set by Inoue was one that very few fighters could off completed.
Marlon Tapales Gains a Foothold Before Being Knocked Down
Tapales managed to show that he was not only tough but aware of the opportunities he had to land shots. Despite the knockdown in the 4th, Tapales found success by punching with Inoue. Instead of trying to counter Inoue, Tapales waited for Inoue to throw and threw his shots at the same time. This was successful because of how Inoue builds power whilst combination punching. Focusing on the rotation of his shoulders, often with his hands by his sides to build power. Inoue was open to both lead hooks and the overhand of Tapales.
Another interesting aspect of the fight was the battle for foot positioning. In contests between Southpaw and Orthodox fighters it is advised for fighters to get their lead foot outside of their opponents. This puts their backhand power shot in line with their opponents face. Inoue clearly understood this taking the positioning at will. However, he would often give up the position simply because he could to line up his jab and exit off.
Tapales, if given the superior angle would smartly go to the body rather than Inoue’s head. Firing the left straight to the body and following in with either more body punches or his vicious overhand left. This was a brief reminder that even the most physically talented fighters cannot completely get away with disregarding fundamentals. It also gave Inoue the urgency to chase the knockdown at the end of the fourth. Pivoting off the left hook into the outside angle, Inoue advanced with his punches and his steps in unison. Punching through and round Tapales’s high guard proved overwhelming and Tapales was dropped hard against the ropes right before the bell.
Reckless Exchanges
Tapales’s other opportunities to score came from reacting to Inoue’s glove positioning. In the mid rounds Inoue would enter a tighter range behind his high guard to begin an exchange. This willingness to absorb punches on his forearms was a safe way for Inoue to gauge what Tapales had left. What Inoue seemed unprepared for was Tapale’s long right uppercut straight between Inoue’s forearms. The uniqueness of this punch had Inoue lacking answers from the high guard position for the shot. As opposed to other fighters who decided to fight Inoue conservatively, Tapales opted for unconventional offence.
Another example of how Tapales exploiting the hand positioning of Inoue is with his jab. This was one of the only shots he could land at range. Inoue’s low lead hand positioning allowed for Tapales to fire the jab at Inoue’s chin with nothing obstructing the punch. At the start of the 7th round Tapales lands a jab clean that visibly surprises Inoue who had by this point seemingly taken for granted that he wouldn’t be hit at range.
Inoue’s Right Hand Closes the Fight
In the last three rounds of the fight Inoue regains complete dominance by returning to a simple strategy. To set up and land the right hand as much as possible. Although Tapales occasionally pivoted away from an oncoming Inoue, he was was usually pushed onto the backfoot. Whenever Inoue attacked Tapales’s weight repeatedly shifted backwards. to load a meaningful punch. The problem was he could not shift the weight through his body to throw the punch quick enough. Either Inoue would pivot off himself or just continue to drive Tapales over his back heel. In the ninth round Inoue throws three consecutive right hands at Tapales to drive him into the ropes. Tapales can simply not regain the initiative to counter.
Once a fighter of Inoue’s calibre can land a punch without fear of consequences the fight is usually over. Inoue continued to exploit this right-hand heavy strategy in the tenth and scored a finish within a minute. This mid-fight simplification of the strategy from Inoue proved that most of Tapales’s success came as a result of Inoue allowing it. Tapales deserves a huge amount of credit for continuing to fight even when it became clear how slim his chances were. Finding success and capitalizing on oppurtunities after taking heavy punishment.
What Will Inoue Go On to Achieve?
Based on his last 2 performances, Inoue would likely be the favourite going into fights with all of the current featherweight champions. This is not without good reason given his accomplishments. However, it is worth remembering that his equivalent in the previous generation, Nonito Donaire, was finally stopped at featherweight. This is why some suggest he should wait and fight either Akhmadaliev at 122lbs or go back down and meet the young Flyweight champion Jesse Rodriguez.
As Inoue gives his opponents bigger weight advantages, the room for error will decrease accordingly. It is unlikely he will remain unpunished for giving these opponents the opportunities he gave to Tapales. Looking forward to 2024, the fights that jump out for Inoue are against Leigh Wood and Luis Alberto Lopez at 126lbs. The appeal of these fights comes from the prospect that Inoue, entering a weight class where he will no longer enjoy a great power advantage, might finally show some vulnerability.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
