Four-weight world champion hits out at ‘ordinary’ Naoya Inoue

Luis Nery believes undisputed junior featherweight fighter Naoya Inoue is overrated.

Nery takes on Inoue - widely regarded as one of the pound-for-pound best - on May 6, in a fight shown live on ESPN+ in the US (click here for details).

The match-up takes place in Inoue’s home coutnry, at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, and while Nery respects the champion, he sees a way through to victory.

“Inoue is a very good fighter and this is the biggest fight of my career – four titles are on the line,” he told BoxingScene. “But I've seen his fights and I think he's overrated. I think he's an ordinary fighter, or at least that's how it appears to me. I'm going there looking for the knockout. I'm not going to Japan looking for a decision.

“I have the typical Mexican style. I like to come forward. I like throwing punches. I'm prepared to go 12 rounds. But I hope it doesn't go the 12 rounds. I want it to end early. You will see a conditioned, stronger, faster, and intelligent Nery who hits hard.”

Nery himself is a four-weight world champion and a threat in his own right, and he remains confident in his own ability.

“He's physically a small fighter – a normal fighter, just like the rest,” he said. “It could be the upset of the year if I beat him. Inoue is not a dummy. He knows how to fight. He's not incredible, in my opinion, but it can be a back-and-forth fight. 

“I see that he's a fast fighter. He's intelligent. He has a lot of power, apparently. Those are his strong points. His weak point is that he opens up when he throws, and that's where I come in.”

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