After putting up dominant performances in the bantamweight division, unbeaten Japanese boxer Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue has decided to vacate all his four belts and move up to the junior-featherweight division.
The 29-year-old Inoue announced in Yokohama, Japan, on Friday that he had decided to vacate his World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight crowns to move up one division.
“I think the bantamweight division is the best fit for my natural size, but now my opponents will be bigger and it will be a real challenge. I am very excited about my next challenge,” Inoue said on Friday.
Inoue, who has stopped 21 of his opponents, became the first undisputed bantamweight champion of the world in 50 years after he defeated Briton Paul Butler in Japan last month.
