Netflix are exploring the possibility of streaming a potential super fight between Naoya Inoue and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.
That is according to Rodriguez’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, who dropped the bombshell last night at the launch press event for Anthony Joshua‘s upcoming tune-up fight with Kristian Prenga on July 25.
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Hearn is confident Inoue vs Rodriguez will come nextCredit: Getty
“Turki Alalshikh, Netflix … we’ve spoken to them,” Hearn told Ring Magazine.
“They wanna see the fight. [It’s] the biggest fight for Inoue by a mile.”
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has already made it clear that he intends to book a bout between the two pound-for-pound stars for January in Japan.
To punch his ticket for the mega fight, Rodriguez will first have to overcome WBA bantamweight titlist Antonio Vargas on June 13.
READ MORE ON BOXING Naoya Inoue reveals toughest opponent he has faced during legendary career
It marks the unified WBA, WBC and WBO super flyweight champion’s debut at 118 lbs, and he doesn’t intend to stop there.
If a deal can be struck with Inoue, then Rodriguez will jump up one more division to challenge ‘The Monster’ for his undisputed super bantamweight crown.
Inoue defended his titles for a seventh time last month against Junto Nakatani in a commercial juggernaut.
The event generated the highest revenue in Japanese combat sports history, with the final figure believed to be a shade over 10 billion yen (£46.4m).
Inoue-Nakatani also shattered the country’s pay-per-view record, surpassing 500,000 domestic buys.
Now, Netflix want to get in on the action as the company continues its expansion into combat sports.
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Inoue defeated Nakatani in the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history last time outCredit: AFPNetflix’s history with boxing
The streaming giant has broadcast six boxing events since its first foray into the sport with Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson back in November 2024.
While Netflix returned to the crossover clash formula for a bout between Paul and Anthony Joshua last year, it has also dished up plenty of offerings for hardcore boxing fans.
Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford and Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano III both serve as shining examples of why Inoue-Rodriguez would not look out of place on the platform.
Netflix has no intention of leaving the sport and is already compiling a stunning wishlist for late 2026 and early 2027.
At the top of that list is the long-awaited all-British showdown between Tyson Fury and Joshua, mooted for November.
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