Naoya Inoue breaks silence on Terence Crawford P4P No. 1 debate: “I won Fighter of the Year”

Naoya Inoue finished 2023 on a high note by becoming the second fighter to emerge undisputed ever since the four-belt era ushered in. The Japanese fighter, however, was recently asked what he felt about Terence Crawford being #1 pound for pound.

The fighter had a very humble response to the question and kept an extremely positive approach for the whole situation.

Naoya Inoue talks on P4P No. 1 boxer

Naoya Inoue was recently questioned about his thoughts on Terrence Crawford surpassing him on The Ring’s pound-for-pound ratings for 2023. The Japanese professional fighter had a very humble approach to the whole situation and stated that being compared to a fighter like Terence Crawford was a result of his hard work.

Inoue believes that the pound-for-pound category is more significant to his career. However, he was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring which is a significant achievement as well. The pound-for-pound category ranks fighters across weight classes, highlighting those who wouldn’t typically compete against each other. Thus, being mentioned on the list, let alone topping it as Inoue has done before, is extremely prestigious.

The rankings were speculated and fought over long before they came out. People believed that Crawford was unanimously the topper of the rankings, but a small party of fans believed that the spot would go to Inoue. After the rankings came out, Crawford had secured the top spot but there was no bitterness from Inoue. He had secured Fighter of the Year after all, but in his opinion, being first on that list is better for his career.

Naoya Inoue reflects on Stephen Fulton bout

Inoue beat Stephen Fulton in a bout to capture the WBC and WBO junior featherweight titles, becoming a world champion in a fourth division. Fulton was unable to handle the mix of speed and aggression that Inoue displayed in the fight.

Naoya Inoue has garnered significant attention for being an absolutely unstoppable machine who would be extremely difficult to stop. In the eighth round of the bout, Fulton yielded to the flurry of blows delivered by Inoue, resulting in Inoue’s victory. This was his magnum opus of 2023.

Naoya Inoue was interviewed and asked several questions by The Ring where he shared all of his thoughts and feelings from his win of Fighter of the Year award to the fight he had with Fulton. Inoue comes across as an extremely hard working and humble individual.

The “Monster” has generated significant headlines in the world and impressed many people with his talents and skills. The sky is the limit for this man, and we look forward to what more he has to offer.