Hearn: Inoue’s team ‘avoiding’ Akhmadaliev, Uzbek power will be too much

Promoter Eddie Hearn called Naoya Inoue to fight his WBA #1 contender, Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs), following his third-round knockout victory over Ricardo Espinoza (30-5 , 25 KOs) on Saturday night in the Salle. from Étoiles to Monte Carlo, Monaco.

(Credits: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

Hearn is trying to shame the 31-year-old Inoue and his team into fighting Akhamadaliev, but that doesn’t seem to be working. Inoue has been immune to public pressure throughout his career, ignoring their pleas to fight better opposition.

It’s been 12 years festival of tomato canswinning three world division titles against flawed fighters. He won’t react to being embarrassed by Hearn in his fight against Akhmadaliev and probably getting knocked out the same way Ricardo Espinoza was tonight.

Akhmadaliev knocked Espinoza down three times in the third round to earn a stoppage at 2:59. After the fight, Akhmadaliev challenged undisputed super bantamweight champion Inoue to face them after his next title defense against IBF #1 and WBO #1 Sam Goodman on 24 January .

Will Inoue leave?

Hearn said he thinks Team Inoue will “avoid” Akhmadaliev. If he doesn’t fight him, expect Naoya to vacate his WBA title. In fact, he may because he’s expected to move up to 126 shortly after his fights against Goodman (19-0, 9 KOs) on Jan. 24 and Junto Nakatani.

The risk-averse champion

Akhmadaliev has almost no chance of fighting Noue because he is too talented, and the Japanese star has become risk aversion. Inoue has never fought anyone in his 12-year career. So you can say that he never took risks.

“I’m ready. Come on, Naoya. Why is he avoiding me? If he doesn’t want to fight me, he needs to explain because when I was champion, I followed the rules and he should follow the rules too,” Murodjon said Akmadaliev during a andinterview following his knockout of Ricardo Espinoza on Saturday night, calling out undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.

“I had to do it. I was fighting them without any argument. So I need an explanation because I’m here and ready for the fight. The best should be fighting the best. I am mandatory and interim champion (AMB). He (Inoue) should prove that he is the best in his division. He is a legend. He should prove it too,” Akhmadaliev said of Naoya Inoue.

I don’t think there is anything Akhmadaliev and Hearn can do to force Naoya to fight him. Next January 24th he will make his rescheduled title defense against lightweight Sam Goodman and will likely fight Junto Nakatania after that. He’s another winning guy.

Naoya’s avoidance tactics

“We’ve given him the fight. He hasn’t been called once. The WBA has called him twice,” promoter Eddie Hearn said of a fight ordered twice for his fighter Akhmadaliev. “The first time, they paid an exception to avoid MJ.

“The second time he was iron-clad. They had to fight him. They found a way to avoid him (Akhmadaliev) again. Naoya Inoue is a pound-for-pound legend. We respect him. He’s an amazing fighter. There’s one thing he doesn’t have, that’s Uzbek power.

“I’m telling you. There is only one fighter in the division (super bantamweight) who can compete with him, let alone beat him, and that is MJ. I tell you now and you record this. This man (Akhmadaliev) is going to beat Naoya Inoue.

“He’s got all the skills, all the ability and the pedigree. I fully believe he’s going to win it. We’re going to do it in Japan. They should have fought each other for the undisputed championship. We (Akhmadaliev) lost a decision that we didn’t think we deserved to lose ( vs. Marlon Tapales by a 12-round split decision on April 8, 2023),” Hearn said of Akhmadaliev’s controversial decision loss to Tapalas last year.

It was a dirty deal that Akhmadaliev got, losing to Tapales by 12-round decision last year in April 2023. It’s a shame there never was a rematch because there should have been.

“Twice, (Naoya) has been called up to fight him. He’s the only fighter in the division, and there are people out there who say, ‘Oh, no, Naoya’s not rushing anybody.’ ‘Inoue doesn’t, but his team does, because everyone in boxing knows how good (Akhmadaliev) is.

“Uzbek Power”

“Let the best fight the best. It’s the only fight in the division. It’s one of the best fights in the sport. I tell you what. I’ll bet the house on it. This young man beat Naoya Inoue. I’ll tell you another thing. I bet they never fight. After that fight with (Sam) Goodman,

“He needs to evict or fight him. I bet they avoid him. If they do, don’t start calling him pound-for-pound #1 because this man is going to beat him. Uzbek power, stick your house to it,” he Hearn said.

Naoya will vacate his four titles at 122, but will do so without fighting Akhmadaliev because he is a threat to beat him. He is prudent and always has been.