{"id":942231,"date":"2026-10-22T15:50:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T15:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/942231\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T15:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T15:50:22","slug":"naoya-inoue-urges-jesse-rodriguez-to-skip-tune-up-and-fight-him-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/942231\/","title":{"rendered":"Naoya Inoue urges Jesse Rodriguez to skip tune-up and fight him next"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BoxingScene<\/a>Add BoxingScene on Google\"\"\"NaoyaKeitaro Ohie \/ Lemino Boxing\u2514Naoya Inoue. at the final press conference for his fight against Junto Nakatani. (April 30, 2026)<\/p>\n

Naoya Inoue has told reporters in Japan that Jesse \u201cBam\u201d Rodriguez should go straight into an undisputed junior featherweight showdown with him instead of having one more contest at 118lbs.<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/p>\n

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This follows Rodriguez\u2019s trainer and manager, Robert Garcia, pushing for his fighter to have one more contest at bantamweight before moving up to take on \u201cThe Monster\u201d in a superfight next year. Rodriguez, the WBA titleholder at 118lbs, was in talks to face WBO beltholder Christian Medina on the originally scheduled date for Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua on November 20 at New York\u2019s Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

That would have left plenty of time for Rodriguez to recover before taking on Inoue in the first quarter of 2027. However, the event has since been pushed back to December 11 in Cardiff, Wales, and Rodriguez is reportedly in talks to face Medina on the undercard.<\/p>\n

Inoue has made no secret of his desire to move up to 126lbs and is growing tired of waiting for a contest with Rodriguez. Inoue expressed his frustration on social media, posting: \u201cI have no intention of sitting around waiting for Bam, so I’m going to start getting ready to move up to featherweight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez\u2019s promoter, Eddie Hearn, responded to the post, stating that his fighter would be ready for a fight in February or March. Garcia seemed more keen on Inoue and Rodriguez meeting in April or May, but Inoue\u2019s promoter, Hideyuki Ohashi, quickly ruled that out, stating that plans are underway for a date in March.<\/p>\n

Inoue, who was appearing at an exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate his memorable battle with countryman Junto Nakatani back in May, spoke to reporters about his next contest.<\/p>\n

“It will likely be around March of next year,\u201d Inoue said through a translator. \u201cWhile an opponent hasn’t been finalized, we are considering various names that have been rumored, as well as the possibility of moving up to the featherweight division.”<\/p>\n

Inoue also did not seem keen on Rodriguez fighting Medina so close to a potential undisputed clash between the pair.<\/p>\n

“It wouldn’t be realistic to fight in December and then again in March; if it\u2019s going to happen, it has to be a direct matchup,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Inoue appears to be preparing for a move to 126lbs and an attempt to become an undisputed champion in a third division.<\/p>\n

“I will definitely challenge the featherweight division at some point; I intend to make it my primary battleground for the latter half of my career,\u201d Inoue said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to take on this challenge together with all of you, and I would be delighted if you could witness me becoming a featherweight champion. Let\u2019s keep moving forward together!”<\/p>\n

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