'Monster' Inoue to face Akhmadaliev in Japan
The 32-year-old returns to his home country to take on Akhmadaliev, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and held the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world titles between 2020 and 2023.
Inoue, who has a 30-0 record with 27 knockouts, told reporters in Tokyo that he wanted to "pay attention to all my skills" in preparing for the fight.
"I want to train with a high level of vigilance," he said.
Inoue was knocked down for only the second time in his career against Cardenas, taking a left hook from the heavy underdog in the second round.
He climbed off the canvas to stop Cardenas 45 seconds into the eighth round after a flurry of powerhouse punches.
It was Inoue's fourth title defence since becoming undisputed super-bantamweight champion and his second of the year after knocking out South Korea's Kim Ye-joon in the fourth round in Tokyo in January.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
20 hours ago
- France 24
Top Japanese fighter retires to support comatose boxer brother
Former WBC strawweight champion Yudai Shigeoka's brother Ginjiro collapsed after a fight in Osaka three months ago and underwent emergency brain surgery. The 25-year-old remains in a coma but is no longer in a life-threatening condition, the Japan Boxing Commission says. Ginjiro, a former IBF champion at the same weight who has a professional win-loss record of 11-2, was recently transferred to another hospital. "I encourage him every day, telling him not to give up and to do his best, so that the flame in his heart does not go out," Yudai, 28, said in an Instagram post on Wednesday. "I believe it is my role as his older brother to enrich his life from now on." "Plans are progressing steadily. That is why I have decided to retire. I have no regrets. The real challenge begins from here on out," added Yudai, who has a 9-2 record. Japanese boxing is under the spotlight after super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died days after injuries they sustained in separate bouts in Tokyo on August 2. Japanese boxing officials held an emergency meeting this week and vowed to introduce new safety rules. New measures to be implemented as soon as possible include urine tests for measuring dehydration and stricter rules on boxers' rapid weight loss, said Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC. Ambulances will also be required on site, even for non-world championship bouts, something which is common practice in some other countries.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Japan boxing to adopt stricter safety rules after deaths of two fighters
The new measures were adopted during an emergency meeting of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and gym owners on Tuesday. It was convened after super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died days after brain surgery on injuries they sustained in separate bouts at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2. The exact cause of the boxers' deaths is to be determined, but dehydration caused by cutting weight rapidly is regarded as a factor in making the brain more susceptible to bleeding, according to the World Boxing Association. The deaths were "really regrettable," said JPBA president Shoji Kobayashi. "We gathered today to establish a plan towards zero accidents." New measures to be implemented as soon as possible include urine tests for measuring dehydration and stricter rules on boxers' rapid weight loss, said Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC. Ambulances will also be required on site, even for non-world championship bouts. They will partner with hospitals that are equipped to perform emergency surgery for head and other injuries. There will also be new rules on how long before a fight sparring must be stopped during training, he said. Officials decided "to take all measures possible so we do not let the deaths of the two be in vain," Yasukochi added. Kotari collapsed and later died after going 12 rounds in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title fight. The JBC had already announced all future OPBF title bouts would be reduced to 10 rounds. "That such an incident occurred involving top-level boxers means we may face arguments that boxing should be halted," admitted Toshiharu Kayama, former Japan welterweight champion and president of the boxing gym Ebisu K's Box. "We, the association and gyms, want to think and change" the way the sport is contested, Kayama said. An accident investigation committee will work to find out the cause of the boxers' deaths later this month and guidance on prevention measures will be updated, Yasukochi said. The JBC and JPBA will also hold a safety meeting later this month, which will include the organisations' doctors as well as the amateur boxing federation, he added.
France 24
4 days ago
- France 24
Japan boxing to hold emergency meeting following deaths
Super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, fought on the same card at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2 and died days later following brain surgery. The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC), gym owners and other boxing officials are under pressure to act and will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday. They are also expected to have talks about safety next month, local media said. "We are acutely aware of our responsibility as the manager of the sport," Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC, told reporters on Sunday. "We will take whatever measures we can." Japanese media highlighted the risks of fighters dehydrating to lose weight rapidly before weigh-ins. "Dehydration makes the brain more susceptible to bleeding," the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said. That is one of the issues the JBC plans to discuss with trainers. "They want to hear from gym officials who work closely with the athletes about such items as weight loss methods and pre-bout conditioning, which may be causally related (to fatalities)," the Nikkan Sports newspaper said. In one immediate measure, the commission has decided to reduce all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title bouts to 10 rounds from 12. "The offensive power of Japanese boxing today is tremendous," Yasukochi was quoted by the Asahi Shimbun as telling reporters.
