Hearn: Inoue’s team “avoids” Akhmadaliev, Uzbek power will be too much

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

(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

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

It has gone through 12 years of feast on tomato canswinning three world division titles against flawed fighters. He’s not going to react to being embarrassed by Hearn fighting Akhmadaliev and probably getting knocked out the same way Ricardo Espinoza was tonight.

Akhmadaliev knocked down Espinoza three times in the third round to stop him 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 January 24.

Will Inoue be evicted?

Hearn said he believes Team Inoue will “shun” Akhmadaliev. If he doesn’t fight him, expect Naoya to vacate his WBA title. In fact, he can because he is expected to move up to 126 shortly after his fights against Goodman (19-0, 9 KOs) on January 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 averse. Inoue has never fought anyone good during his 12-year career. So you can say he never took risks.

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

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

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

Naoya’s evasion tactics

“We have given him the fight. They haven’t called him even once. The WBA has called it twice,” promoter Eddie Hearn said of a fight that was called twice for his fighter Akhmadaliev. “The first time, they paid for an exception to avoid MJ.

“The second time it was iron in writing. They had to fight him. They found a way to avoid him (Akhmadaliev) again. Naoya Inoue is a pound for pound legend. We respect it. He is an incredible fighter. There is one thing it doesn’t have. That is Uzbek power.

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

“He has all the skills, all the ability and the pedigree. I fully believe he will beat it. We will 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 (against Marlon Tapales via 12-round split decision on April 8, 2023),” Hearn said of Akhmadaliev’s controversial decision loss to Tapales last year.

That was a raw deal given to Akhmadaliev, who lost to Tapales by 12-round decision last year in April 2023. It’s a shame there was never a rematch because there should have been one.

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

“Uzbek power”

“Let the best fight against the best. It is 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 defeated Naoya Inoue. I’ll tell you something else. I bet you they never fought with him. After this fight with (Sam) Goodman,

“You have to leave the place or fight him. I bet they avoid it. If you do, don’t start calling him pound for pound number one because this man will beat him. Uzbek power, put your house in it,” Hearn said.

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