WBC Special Preview: Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim

Published On Tuesday, January 21, 2025By Global Boxing News

Related Tags: Naoya Inoue, WBC, Undisputed, Ye Joon Kim

Naoya Inoue meets Ye Joon Kim in Tokyo

‘’Troublemaker’’ Meets ‘’Monster’’ - By James Blears

South Korean Ye Joon Kim has stepped into the breach, at two weeks of notice, to fight the mighty-formidable WBC and undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue on Friday January 24th at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

In boxing, the best laid plans can come unstuck and go awry. And when they so go amiss, a miss is as good as mile. Naoya was supposed to be fighting Australian Sam Goodman on Christmas Eve. But unfortunately, Sam suffered a cut over his left eye in a final sparring session and the fight was put back one month.

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Then, lightning while ‘’Fighting’’ struck twice. That same cut, which had been neatly sealed by four stitches, opened up again, in another sparring session.

Sam will undergo plastic surgery to erase the scar tissue and will now be out for six months.

So, a scramble to be innovative, save the show and find another opponent at very short notice, was underway. Ye Joon Kim, 21-2-2, 13 KOs was on the same bill.

He was going to be fighting Filipino Kenny Demecillo, 17-8-2, 10 KOs in an eight rounder, But now, he’s been offered the chance of a lifetime at the big time, to fight one of the most brilliant and ruthless power punchers per pound around.

Inoue wants to and needs to stay active and sharp. Sometime this year, he might be engaged in a megafight, the biggest clash of Japanese superstars for many years, against also undefeated, unblemished compatriot Junto Nakatani, 29-0, 22 KOs, who is the reigning WBC bantamweight champion.

A Tall, rangy southpaw, Junto faces a stern test against unbeaten and dangerous hard hitting Mexican David ‘’General’’ Cuellar Contreras, 28-0, 18 KOs on February 24th, also at the Ariake Arena.

Both Junto and Nayoa must compete and complete their commitments to realize that Mega-Fight.

There is also some talk of Inoue fighting exciting unbeaten WBC Silver champion Alan David Picasso, 31-0-1, 17 KOs in April at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Inoue hasn’t fought in the United States since June 2021.

31-year-old four-weight world titlist, Naoya Inoue, is conscious and all too aware of the setback, which led to this current situation and has accordingly said: ‘’I’m very sorry to all of my fans. But I would appreciate your support on January 24th. I’ll be sure to give you my best performance on that day.’’

Global superstar Inoue seeks to preserve a pristine 28-O, 25 KOs record. The new opponent from South Korea he now faces brings a very different style to the elusive skills set he was preparing for.

As for Ye Joon Kim, he has a monumental task ahead of him. For it, he’ll receive the best payday of his 12-year pro career. But the motivation to win far exceeds this.

To be the best, you have to fight the best, and he is preparing to fight at a level he has never encountered before. Like all sportsmen, he is ambitious to test himself against brilliance and he is going into to this fight with the will to win. Nothing less, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Kim, aged 32, has built a respectable career. After an early UD defeat in his second pro fight against Sa Myung Noh and a couple of draws, he started to show promise and flourish.

He won the vacant WBC Youth Super-bantamweight title with an eighth round TKO of Akihiro Matsumoto. He went on to win the vacant IBF Asia belt with a SD over Virgil Puton and achieved four successful defences. But almost two years ago, he came unstuck, losing a MD to Rob Diezel, although he appeared to have done enough to win, but the Washington fighter was the one awarded the win in Washington. Only one judge scored it a draw, but the other two at ringside perhaps knew which side their bread was buttered on and gave the nod to the home fighter.

Two fights later, he won the WBO Oriental title with a fifth round TKO of Rakesh Lohchab. This was his most recent fight on May 5th last year.

Also nicknamed Pacquiweather, Kim is said to have a blend of styles reminiscent of Manny and Floyd. He is an adept counter puncher and delivers a high volume of punches, certainly looking like Manny Pacquiao when in that ring. Floyd Mayweather, not so much.

Inoue is the Mount Everest facing Kim. His only momentary mishaps, were getting caught with a fearsome left hook in round two by Nonito Donaire in their first fight. That punch broke his nose, fractured his right orbital bone and sliced upon a divot over his right eye. Yet he regrouped, decked Nonito in round 11 with a searing left to the liver and persevered to win a UD, but only after a classic for the ages. In their next fight, Inoue won via quick KO.

Luis Nery dropped Naoya for the first time in his career in the first round with a big let hook in their 2024 showdown. But Naoya got up and went on the offensive to knock Luis down three times on the way to a sixth round TKO victory. Most recently, he battered brave Irishman TJ Doheny who hobbled with a hip injury and was TKO’d in round seven.

Some people are saying this upcoming fight is a Rocky-like scenario. In the legendary film, club fighter Rocky Balboa is given the opportunity by champion Apollo Creed to fight for the heavyweight title and comes within a proverbial ace of dethroning him in their first bludgeoning, blistering encounter. But let’s get real. That was a marvellous, fictional tale, created and written by Sylvester Stallone, who starred in the movie.

This is real life and. in reality, the punches are tangibly and hurtfully different. They aren’t choreographed or staged; they land with a thud.

Kim is much more than a club fighter and has built a respectable record. Top marks for him for courageously seizing the moment presented to him.

A Kim win would be a monumental upset of gigantic proportions, as it's so totally unexpected. With all of his brilliant skills, experience and phenomenal punching power, Inoue is going to try his utmost to ensure this doesn’t happen. He has already said that he is not taking this lightly, and there's nothing in his career that suggests he will be anything but professional and ready in his approach to this fight.

It has been said that Naoya Inoue, like every fighter, has two arms and can be vulnerable. He has already been dropped and broken facial bones in previous bouts, but what his arms and fists are able to do is beyond brilliant.

Kim, who is nicknamed the Troublemaker, aims to be The Trouble Shooter. He must fight the fight of his life to match The Monster, but that is going to take something monumental from him.

Tale of the Tape

NAOYA “Monster” INOUE (Japan)
Undisputed Super Bantamweight World Champion

Age: 31
DOB: April 10, 1993
Residence, birthplace: Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
Record: 28-0, 25 KOs
Total rounds: 169
World championship fights: 23-0, 21 KOs
Height: 5’5” – 165cm
Reach: 67.5” – 171cm
Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Sayuri Ohashi
Trainer: Shingo Inoue

YE JOON “Troublemaker” KIM (South Korea)
WBO #11

Age: 32
DOB: October 11, 1992
Residence, birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Record: 21-2-2, 13 KOs
Total rounds: 150
Height: 5’5” – 165cm
Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Mike Altamura
Trainer: John Bastable