By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
Ohashi Gym was like a crowded train. Some 180 press people gathered to cover a public workout of “Monster” Naoya Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) on Monday in Yokohama. Inoue is scheduled to square off against also unbeaten Junto Nakatani (32-0, 28 KOs) at Tokyo Dome on this coming May 2. The capacity of the Dome is 55,000 seats, but Ohashi Promotions says all tickets have been already sold out with tremendous expectations and interests.
Naoya, the undisputed world 122-pound champion, demonstrated sharpness, trade-mark precision and power punching in a short workout before Nakatani’s manager Ken Murano and a couple of trainers. Greatly impressed, Murano said, “Inoue looks ready and well-prepared.”
After the open training, Inoue said, “No matter how Nakatani may come and fight me, I’ll be able to adjust myself to his way of fighting.” He peviously said, “After this Nakatani fight I may have another bout before moving up to the featherweight division.” That must be a confrontation with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. Asked about another Super Fight, his manager/promoter Hideyuki Ohashi, former WBC, WBA minimumweight champion, declined to comment on the blue print, saying, “Let us concentrate on this Fight of the Century at first. That truly makes sense.
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