Following Naoya Inoue’s latest win, an outclassing of fellow Japanese great, Junto Nakatani, it appears there is little the fighter’s father-trainer, Shingo Inoue, feels there is left to achieve and recommends, instead, that the 33-year-old “retire already.”
Nicknamed ‘The Monster’, or Kaibutsu, Inoue has become one of the most decorated and celebrated in world boxing today, thanks to thumping wins over Emmanuel Rodriguez, Nonito Donaire, Stephen Fulton, Luis Nery, and Murodjon Akhmadaliev, across multiple weight classes, advancing his unblemished pro record to 33 wins (27 KOs) as a four-weight world champion.
There remains other challenges. There always are in boxing. Inoue could enter another pound-for-pound boxing match against the diminutive American star, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, or he could move north from super bantamweight and fight for a championship in a fight division, at featherweight, where fighters like Rafael Espinoza, Bruce Carrington, and Brandon Figueroa await.
If Shingo has his way, though, he’d maneuver his son, Naoya, in another direction entirely.
Speaking to Yahoo! Japan News, Inoue said:
“How many more fights does he need to have? It’s about time he retire already.”
— Shingo Inoue on fighter-son Naoya Inoue
Inoue’s recent victory over Nakatani was significant for the sport but especially in his home country, where it was billed The Fight of the Century.
“He can walk away cleanly while he’s still a legend and at his best,” Shingo said.
“I haven’t talked to him directly about it, but honestly, how many more fights does he need? It’s enough already. He can retire suddenly while still a legend and while he’s still great.”
