WBC Special Preview – Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship
September 14, 2025 / Nagoya, Japan / IG Arena
OHASHI PROMOTION PRESENTS:
NAOYA “Monster” INOUE (Japan)
· WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion, 6th defense
· IBF, WBA, and WBO Super Bantamweight World Champion
· Former WBC Bantamweight World Champion, 1 Title Defense
· Former WBC Light Flyweight World Champion, 1 Title Defense
· Former Oriental & Pacific Boxing Federation Light Flyweight Champion…
Age: 32 / Date of birth: April 10, 1993
Residence, birthplace: Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
Record: 30-0, 27 KOs / Total rounds: 181 / World championship fights: 24-0, 22 KOs
Height: 5’5” – 165cm / Reach: 67.5” – 171cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Sayuri Ohashi / Trainer: Shingo Inoue
MURODJON AKHMADALIEV (Uzbekistan)
· WBA Interim Super Bantamweight World Champion
Age: 30 / Date of birth: November 2, 1994
Residence: Indio, California / Birthplace: Namangan, Uzbekistan
Record: 14-1, 11 KOs / Total rounds: 100 / World championship fights: 4-1, 2 KOs
Height: 5.5.5” – 166cm / Reach: 68” – 173cm / Stance: Left-handed
Manager: Vadim Kornilov / Trainer: Joel Diaz
WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Rigoberto Riasco (Panama) 1976
2. Royal Kobayashi (Japan) 1976
3. Dong-Kyun Yum (Korea) 1976 – 1977
4. Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico) 1977 – 1982
5. Jaime Garza (USA) 1983 – 1984
6. Juan Meza (USA) 1984 – 1985
7. Lupe Pintor (Mexico) 1985 – 1986
8. Samart Payakaroon (Thailand) 1986 – 1987
9. Jeff Fenech (Australia) 1987 – 1988
10. Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) 1988 – 1990
11. Paul Banke (USA) 1990
12. Pedro Decima (Argentina) 1990 – 1991
13. Kiyoshi Hatanaka (Japan) 1991
14. Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) * 1991 – 1992
15. Thierry Jacob (France) 1992
16. Tracy Patterson (USA) 1992 – 1994
17. Hector Acero-Sanchez (Dominican Republic) 1994 – 1995
18. Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) * 1995 – 1997
19. Erik Morales (Mexico) 1997 – 2000
20. Willie Jorrin (USA) 2000 – 2002
21. Oscar Larios (Mexico) 2002 – 2005
22. Israel Vazquez (Mexico) 2005 – 2007
23. Rafael Marquez (Mexico) 2007
24. Israel Vazquez (Mexico) * 2007 – 2008
25. Toshiaki Nishioka (Japan) 2008 – 2012
26. Abner Mares (Mexico) 2012 – 2013
27. Victor Terrazas (Mexico) 2013
28. Leo Santa Cruz (Mexico) 2013 – 2015
29. Julio Ceja (Mexico) 2015 – 2016
30. Hugo Ruiz (Mexico) 2016
31. Hozumi Hasegawa (Japan) 2016
32. Rey Vargas (Mexico) 2017 – 2020
33. Tomoki Kameda (Japan) Interim 2018
34. Luis Nery (Mexico) 2020 – 2021
35. Brandon Figueroa (USA) 2021
36. Stephen Fulton Jr. (USA) 2021 – 2023
37. Naoya Inoue (Japan) 2023 –
* Regained title
WBC TOP 10 SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
1. Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico)
2. Erik Morales (Mexico)
3. Jeff Fenech (Australia)
4. Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico)
5. Israel Vazquez (Mexico)
6. Abner Mares (Mexico)
7. Leo Santa Cruz (Mexico)
8. Tracy Patterson (US)
9. Oscar Larios (Mexico)
10. Royal Kobayashi (Japan)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY:
34 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only two have regained the title: Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) two times, Israel Vazquez (Mexico).
121 WBC super bantamweight world title bouts have been held in WBC history.
Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico) holds the record for super bantamweight world title defenses with 17.
Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) made 14 title defenses in three periods as champion.
Oscar Larios (Mexico) made 10 title defenses.
MEMORABLE WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
May 4, 2025 Naoya Inoue TKO8 Ramon Cardenas – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 24, 2025 Naoya Inoue TKO4 Ye Joon Kim – Tokyo, Japan
Sept. 3, 2024 Naoya Inoue TKO7 T.J. Doheny – Tokyo, Japan
May 6, 2024 Naoya Inoue TKO6 Luis Nery – Tokyo, Japan
Dec. 26, 2023 Naoya Inoue KO10 Marlon Tapales – Tokyo, Japan
July 25, 2023 Naoya Inoue TKO8 Stephen Fulton – Tokyo, Japan
June 4, 2022 Stephen Fulton Jr. W12 Danny Roman – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nov. 27, 2021 Stephen Fulton Jr. W12 Brandon Figueroa – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 15, 2021 Brandon Figueroa KO7 Luis Nery – Carson, California
Sep. 26, 2020 Luis Nery W12 Aaron Alameda – Uncasville, Connecticut
Feb. 25, 2017 Rey Vargas W12 Gavin McDonnell – Hull, England
Sep. 16, 2016 Hozumi Hasegawa TKO9 Hugo Ruiz – Osaka, Japan
Feb. 27, 2016 Hugo Ruiz TKO1 Julio Ceja – Anaheim, California
Aug. 29, 2015 Julio Ceja TKO5 Hugo Ruiz – Los Angeles, California
Aug. 24, 2013 Leo Santa Cruz KO3 Victor Terrazas – Carson, California
Nov. 10, 2012 Abner Mares W12 Anselmo Moreno – Los Angeles, California
May 23, 2009 Toshiaki Nishioka TKO3 Jhonny Gonzalez – Monterrey, Mexico
Mar. 1, 2008 Israel Vazquez W12 Rafael Marquez – Carson, California
Aug. 4, 2007 Israel Vazquez TKO6 Rafael Marquez – Hidalgo, Texas
Mar. 3, 2007 Rafael Marquez TKO7 Israel Vazquez – Carson, California
Dec. 3, 2005 Israel Vazquez TKO3 Oscar Larios – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 17, 2002 Oscar Larios TKO12 Israel Vazquez – Sacramento, California
Feb. 19, 2000 Erik Morales W12 Marco Antonio Barrera – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 6, 1996 Erik Morales KO11 Daniel Zaragoza – El Paso, Texas
Nov. 6, 1995 Daniel Zaragoza W12 Hector Acero-Sanchez – Inglewood, California
Aug. 26, 1994 Hector Acero-Sanchez W12 Tracy Harris Patterson – Atlantic City
June 23, 1992 Tracy Harris Patterson TKO2 Thierry Jacob – Albany, New York
Mar. 20, 1992 Thierry Jacob W12 Daniel Zaragoza – Calais, France
Feb. 29, 1988 Daniel Zaragoza TKO10 Carlos Zarate – Inglewood, California
May 8, 1987 Jeff Fenech KO4 Samart Payakaroon – Sydney, Australia
Jan. 18, 1986 Samart Payakaroon KO5 Lupe Pintor – Bangkok, Thailand
Aug. 18, 1985 Lupe Pintor W12 Juan Meza – Mexico City, Mexico
Nov. 3, 1984 Juan Meza KO1 Jaime Garza – Kingston, New York
June 15, 1983 Jaime Garza TKO2 Bobby Berna – Los Angeles, California
Dec. 3, 1982 Wilfredo Gomez TKO14 Lupe Pintor – New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct. 28, 1978 Wilfredo Gomez TKO5 Carlos Zarate – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Jan. 19, 1978 Wilfredo Gomez KO3 Royal Kobayashi – Kitakyushu, Japan
Oct. 9, 1976 Royal Kobayashi KO8 Rigoberto Riasco – Tokyo, Japan
Apr. 3, 1976 Rigoberto Riasco TKO9 Waruinge Nakayama – Panama City, Panama
Beware The Jabberwock
By James Blears
A herculean task awaits Murodjon ‘’MJ’’ Akhmadaliev in challenging formidable Bolt of Lightning Undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’Monster’’ Inoue on September 14th and he`ll need to bring his Sunday Punch to the IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan, to have a tangible chance of achieving glory.
The most fitting key to unlock the catalyst chain reaction of an upset, is resolution of purpose, its swift execution accompanied by a well- timed, aptly placed left hook, then even more. The late Great Bruce Lee once reasoned: ‘’I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks once. But I fear the man who has practiced one kick ten thousand times.’’
The punch which southpaw MJ needs to practice umpteen times, is the counter left hook, to which Naoya has proved both susceptible and vulnerable. As he steams in two fisted, where angels fear to tread, inflicting a whirlwind attack, he sometimes unleashes a blockbuster and then lowers the other hand, leaving his chin exposed. But, although the consequences have proved upending if not unnerving, he`s always been unbending, in able to get up, recover, recoup, re-generate and most importantly win…so far, so good!
MJ will be mindful of the Uzbek saying: ‘’What can be done by hand, can be done by knowledge.’’ He has the sage examples of Nonito Donaire, Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas to contemplate, evolve, adapt and improve upon, in his quest for a hard- fought hand to hand combat victory. To win, he`ll have to go one better.
Self-belief which both Naoya and MJ possess in abundance, will be crucial. Mary Shelly, who wrote Frankenstein warned: ‘’Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful!’’
Seemingly, the only way to catch The Monster napping is very early on, before his emitting jet of fire is well stoked in the basement blast furnace. In the final of the World Super Series Tournament, Nonito Donaire landed a veritable and extremely damaging left hook in round two. That one punch broke Naoya`s nose, fractured his right orbital bone and sliced open his right eyebrow into a gaping blood seeping wound. He also suffered double vision for the rest of the fight. What a fright!
But, overcoming this considerable and painful adversity, Naoya grimly fought his way back and dropped the former quadruple world champion with a searing left hook to the liver in the penultimate round. Nonito aged thirty- seven, a full eleven years older than the youthful Monster, did well to survive and reach the final bell. Nonito`s final fling of the dice had arrived a tad too late, during the Autumn of his sensational seasoned career.
Naoya says this upcoming fight against MJ could be his hardest, but I beg to differ. The real test of molten mettle, which tested his iron willpower to the limit and through which he traversed with flying colours, was that classic against ‘’The Filipino Flash.’’ It was no flash in the pan! Nonito himself said the opportunities against Naoya, present themselves early, before he can settle into a groove and establish dominance with clusters of blockbusters.
And so it was against heavy handed Luis Nery, who dropped Naoya with a monumental left hook in the first round. Shocked. blinking and chastened, rather than stunned or shellacked, Naoya prudently heeded the Referee`s count, got up and endured thirty seconds of purgatory, before the sweet chime of the bell brought relief. Yet Nery`s chance had come and gone, as those brief moments ticked by.
In round two Nery leaned forward, over-extending himself and the return favour complement of a peachy left hook felled him. Down on the canvass again in round five, with Naoya needing only several inches of leverage to clobber him with another, yet shorter range left hook, propelling and ejecting out of a clinch. The curtain came down in the sixth, with a long right wobbling Nery, setting him up for a shorter version sprawling him, after Naoya trapped him with his back against the ropes.
Cue tough, sturdy and resilient Ramon Cardenas. Unlike Nery, he kept his gloves high fighting from and forming a shell guard. Initially, he managed to drive Naoya on to the back foot. Very few boxers, with the rare exception of Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali, are as effective when punching on the retreat. The early shockwave came in round two with Ramon`s perfectly timed counter left hook searing and lasering its way through the maze of Naoya`s maelstrom attack. Lucky for Naoya, he got up and the salve of bell rang seconds later, saving him from any follow up blitz.
He brilliantly worked his way back into the fight, sapping Ramon`s power and resistance with some piano-shifting body shots, cracking and crunching into the ribcage, rendering the innards behind them into macaroni mush. Ramon fought back bravely, tenaciously and resourcefully, but was increasingly rendered under the cosh. Twenty- two seconds before the bell ending round seven, a big right put him on the canvass. The end was nigh and they both knew it. Thirty- five seconds into round eight, Naoya trapped him on the ropes, Ramon was sagging and doubling up under the irresistible two-fisted onslaught, and Referee Thomas Taylor stepped in, timely and merciful, to save him.
Super-bantamweight is the sensible upper limit of Nayoa Inoue poundage capacity. MJ reasons: ‘’Inoue was unassailable in the lower weight classes, but you saw against Nery and Cardenas, he had to deal with tougher and bigger guys at super-bantam. That`s what gives him problems. One hundred and twenty- two is MY weight class.’’
MJ also said: ‘’Naoya Inoue`s accomplishments are well deserved and I have nothing but respect. But one punch can change everything.’’ In that assumption he`s palpably wrong. Naoya has gone down from one punch, but he didn`t fold, flounder or wilt. Rather, he got up, fought back and he won. It`s going to take considerably more than one punch or even a knockdown to keep him down.
This will be Naoya Inoue`s twenty-sixth world title fight. His record is 30-0, with 27 KO`s. He`s won world titles in four different weight categories and he`s undisputed in two. His last eleven fights haven`t gone the distance. Mj is a former unified super-bantamweight champion. He won the WBA and IBF versions by defeating Daniel Roman via a SD. After three successful defences, he lost to Marlon Tapales via a SD. Inoue stopped Marlon Tapales eight months later. Since his single loss, MJ has won three fights all by TKO stoppages to reach this stage. He says:
‘’I finally have the option to fight Inoue. I have had to work very hard to get to this position and I will show the best version of myself. I will be in the best shape of my career. I believe in my power and I know how to use it.’’
Unfazed, Naoya replies: ‘’I believe that I`m superior to him in total power and I`ll prove it in Nagoya. Time will tell!’’ Thus far MJ`s KO ratio is 78.57 percent. While Naoya`s is 90 percent. MJ, who won a bronze medal in the Rio Olympics, fought his pro debut in 2018, six years after Naoya started. MJ has built a record of 14-1, 11 KO`s.
To win Mj must avoid Naoya`s monumental ‘’Walls of Jericho’’ demolishing body shots, neutralize his lightning, frightening, fighting speed, follow through, if he can catch him with a counter left hook and confound as well as overcome the Champion`s undomitable will to win. An opponent every bit as awesome as the Jabberwock, encountered In Lewis Carrol`s Alice Through the Looking Glass.
This is a fascinating and a worthy match up. As WW2 Resistance Fighter, poet and playwright Hannah Szenes said: ‘’Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.’’ Centuries earlier Roman Philosopher Ovid wrote: ‘’Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be cast in the pool where you least expect there will be fish.’’
Here and now Murodjon ‘’MJ’’ Akhmadaliev states: ‘’The Ring will show everything. The ring NEVER lies.’’
