Despite facing a new opponent on less than two weeks’ notice, undisputed junior featherweight Nawa Inoue’s legendary power remained on full display Friday morning.
Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs), a four-division champion and Japanese superstar widely considered among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport, took the opening round to feel Ye Joon Kim (21) 3-2. , 13 KOs) before delivering the boom with a fourth-round knockout of Tokyo’s Aria inside the arena.
Kim, a 32-year-old from South Korea, filled in at late notice to replace Australia’s Sam Goodman, a mandatory challenger who twice withdrew from scheduled fights against Inoue in the past two months due to cuts due to brawls.
“My opponent was injured twice and my new opponent stood up to me 10 days before the fight,” Eno said. “Kim, thank you so much for a competitive fight tonight.”
Inoue, 31, pawed and jabbed Kim early on as he looked to slowly corner his opponent. But Kim, who fought like a southpaw throughout, confused Ino with his patience and defense. In Round 3, despite some visible swelling under his left eye, Kim scored regularly to the body and briefly made Inoue pay for his aggression with a counter left hand.
Momentum swung back in Inoue’s favor in round 4, however, as he opened the round with heavy pressure to bring down Kim’s high guard and force him to exchange. After Inoue landed flush with a looping left hand, Kim motioned for his opponent to come forward.
Unfortunately for Kim, Inoue obliges his gesture and immediately proceeds with a two-punch combination, ending with a brutal straight right hand that knocks Kim to the canvas. Referee Mark Nelson began his count before stopping the fight at 2:25 as Kim struggled to reach his feet.
“Overall, I think it was a good punch but I didn’t have enough time to study my opponent,” Eno said. “I’m taking some time off to see what’s coming from him. The only thing I can do is get better every time in the ring so I’m going to take my career to the end.”
After the fight, Inoue and Top Rank co-promoter Bob Aram teased a spring return to the US where Inoue is expected to return to Las Vegas for the first time as he scores knockouts behind Jason Moloney and Michael Dasmarinas. In 2020 and 2021.
“I’m pretty sure 2025 is going to be a big year for me,” Eno said. “This will be the year for me to go overseas for a big fight.”
The win was his fourth defense of his 122-pound crown since debuting in the division in 2023 when he knocked off undefeated, unified champion Stephen Fulton Jr.
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