Naoya Inoue has already been offered a major challenge at featherweight, with WBC champion Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington saying he is ready to face the Japanese star whenever the opportunity comes.
Inoue recently defended his four super bantamweight belts for the seventh time, defeating Junto Nakatani at a sold-out Tokyo Dome and strengthening his position as one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
Carrington, who won the vacant WBC featherweight title against Carlos Castro in January, said the Nakatani fight only increased his belief that he can beat Inoue. “I saw a lot of things that I can’t really say on here,” Carrington said. “Inoue is still a spectacular fighter, but I just know I have what it takes to beat him.”
The Brooklyn champion is scheduled to defend his belt against Rene Palacios in July, but he made clear that he would welcome Inoue immediately. *“I’m ready right now, I’m ready today, I’m ready tomorrow, I’m ready whenever,” *Carrington said. “Come to the Shu Shu show, baby.”
Inoue has indicated that he plans to fight once more at super bantamweight, with Jesse Rodriguez mentioned as a likely opponent, before moving up to featherweight for what could be the final challenge of his career.
Do you think that Bruce will be able to defeat Naoya?
Image Credit: Sky Sports