Naoya Inoue is now the undisputed super bantamweight champion!
Inoue stopped Marlon Tapales in the 10th round of their undisputed title fight.
Inoue outclassed Tapales; the Japanese star landed 146 total punches and 114 power punches. It was a stunning display.
The 30-year-old is now the second man to be undisputed champion in multiple weight classes. Add that to an undefeated 26-0 record and championships in four weight classes, and Inoue might be the pound-for-pound king in world boxing.
After the fight, Inoue hinted that he wanted to stay at the super bantamweight and teased that negotiations for a big 2024 fight were ongoing.
Here are three potential fighters that Inoue could fight in 2024.
Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev enjoyed a ringside seat at the Ariake Arena to watch Inoue's win. The 29-year-old sports a 12-1 record, and he last fought on December 16. Murodjon defeated Kevin Gonzalez that night. Murodjon's southpaw style could match up well with Inoue. Matchroom Boxing's X account has already teased a potential match. Murodjon is a top-ten-ranked fighter by the WBA, WBO, IBF and WBC. He is also fourth in Ring magazine's rankings.
Sam Goodman
Australia's undefeated Sam Goodman could be another name to challenge Inoue in 2024. Goodman boasts a perfect 17-0 record and defeated Zhong Liu in his last fight. The WBO and IBF rank Goodman 1st at super bantamweight.
Luis Nery
Rumours emanating from Japan suggest that Inoue's next fight will be in May against Mexico's Luis Nery. Nery is the WBC's mandatory challenger, and his 35-1 record features plenty of big names. Nery's last fight was in July, and he stopped Froilan Saludar in the second round.