Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim Preview Jan. 24th, 2025
Unbeaten, undisputed Super Bantamweight Champion Naoya Inoue of Japan will still enter the ring in Tokyo this Friday, January 24th even though his original opponent Sam Goodman pulled out of their fight for a second time. Goodman was supposed to meet Inoue on December 24th but the card was postponed for a month after Goodman was cut over his eye in sparring. The cut then re-opened in sparring and he pulled out of the contest on January 10th. This means Ye Joon Kim of South Korea now faces Inoue. The 12-round contest can be seen live on ESPN+ in America with the undercard card starting about 4:15 am ET. Fans in the UK and Ireland can catch it on Sky Sports at 9:15 am. Inoue last fought in September when he stopped former world champion TJ Doheny in the seventh round. Inoue was dropped for the first time in his career in the first round by Luis Nery in his previous bout in May, but then decked Nery in the second and fifth rounds before stopping him in the sixth. Inoue stopped Marlon Tapales in the 10th round for the WBA and IBF Belts in December, 2023 and the former Undisputed Bantamweight King halted Stephen Fulton in the eighth round five months earlier to take his WBO and WBC titles. Kim’s last bout took place in May when he stopped Rakesh Lohchab in the fifth round to take the WBO Oriental Super Bantamweight Title.
Inoue vs Kim Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Ye Joon Kim +1200
- Naoya Inoue -10000
My Pick
The 31-year-old Inoue is just the second male Japanese boxer to win world titles in four weight divisions to join Kazuto Ioka in that feat. Inoue was also a world beltholder at 108, 115 and 118 lbs and has been an undisputed champion in two different divisions. As a bantamweight, Inoue fought in the World Boxing Super Series Bantamweight Tournament and won the IBF belt when he stopped Emmanuel Rodriguez in the second round in May, 2019.
Six months later he beat Nonito Donaire by unanimous decision in a classic battle to capture the tournament as well as Donaire’s WBA Super World Belt. Inoue had originally won the regular WBA title in May, 2018 when he stopped Jamie McDonnell in 112 seconds. After beating Donaire, Inoue defended the belts against Jason Moloney, Michael Dasmarinas and Aran Dipaen with stoppages in the seventh, eighth and third rounds respectively.
Inoue and Donaire met in a long-awaited rematch in June, 2022 with Inoue adding the WBC Bantamweight Title to his collection when he stopped the Filipino Flash in the second round. He then became undisputed with an 11th-round stoppage of Paul Butler in December, 2022. He enters the ring this Friday with a perfect mark of 28-0 with 25 Ko’s. Inoue is also a former WBO Jr. Bantamweight and WBC Junior Flyweight Titleholder who has all the tools to be considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxers.
He defended his Junior Bantamweight Crown seven times before moving up in weight. The Japanese star became a world champion in just his sixth pro fight when he stopped Adrian Hernandez in the sixth round for his WBC Junior Flyweight Belt in May, 2014. He defended it once then moved up to super flyweight and took the title from Omar Narvaez by second-round KO in December, 2014. Known as ‘The Monster,’ Inoue has been a sensation in his homeland since turning pro in 2012 and has boxed 169 rounds since.
He’s definitely got some dynamite in his fists with an 89.3 per cent knockout ratio but also has fine boxing skills. Inoue has stopped his last nine opponents and has gone the distance just once since mid-2016 and that was the first fight against Donaire in 2019, but he did drop him in the 11th round. Inoue stands 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 67.5-inch reach.
Before turning pro Inoue enjoyed a fine amateur career and is now 23-0 with 20 Ko’s in world title fights. He’s also beaten the likes of Juan Carlos Payano, Ryoichi Taguchi, Kohei Kono, Antonio Nieves, David Carmona and Ricardo Rodriguez. He’s also 13-0 with 11 Kos against current or former world champions in Doheny, Nery, Tapales, Fulton, Butler, Donaire, Rodriguez, Taguchi, Hernandez, Narvaez, Kono, McDonnell and Payano.
Kim is 32 years old and climbs through the ropes with a mark 21-2-2 with 8 Ko’s and has boxed 150 rounds since turning pro in 2012. He measures 5-feet-4-inches tall with an unlisted reach so gives up an inch in height to Inoue. He’s basically an unknown to most boxing fans and is currently ranked number 11 in the world by the WBO. As far as power goes, Kim is slightly above average as 61.9 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage including his last six in a row.
The first defeat on Kim’s record came at the hands of Sa Myung Noh by a four-round unanimous decision in 2012 in his second pro contest. His career got of to a bit of a slow start with just four wins in his first seven outings as he fought to a four-round draw with Dong Kwan Lee in his fifth fight and a six-round stalemate with Jin Wook Lim in his seventh contest. Kim didn’t taste defeat again until April, 2023 when he was edged by Rob Diezel via an eight-round majority decision.
Kim captured the vacant WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Title in 2014 when he stopped Akihiro Matsumoto in the eight round. He then added the vacant IBF Asia Super Bantamweight Belt in 2015 with a 12-round split decision over Virgil Puton and defended it three times against Yoshihiro Utsumi, Angky Angkotta and Yuki Strong Kobayashi. He also has wins over Ruben Montoya Ramirez, Ryo Kosaka and Yoshihiro Utsumi.
Prediction…
Let’s face it, this isn’t a matchup fans wanted to see but nobody really wanted to see Inoue face Sam Goodman either, but he was the IBF and WBO mandatory challenger. After having the entire card postponed once already it’s only fair that the combatants haven’t wasted the past few months in training camp and the card will carry on. So that is one positive about this fight and Kim must be given credit for stepping in on two week’s notice to face one of the world’s most feared and top pound-for-pound boxers. Of course there’s no love lost between Japan and South Korea as they’re fierce rivals. Kim has fought several Japanese boxers during his career and this will be his third bout in the Land of the Rising Sun. Kim simply doesn’t match Inoue in any area especially in experience and power but this is boxing and we all know anything can happen, especially with a late replacement. Kim basically has nothing to lose here as nobody’s going to bat an eyelid if he gets blown out in the first round. On the flipside, Kim could make a name for himself if he lasts several rounds. Inoue’s also a fine boxer but he can’t afford to take anybody lightly after being dropped by Luis Nery and struggling somewhat against TJ Doheny in his last two outings. It also may be hard for him to get motivated for this fight. Still, he’s a fantastic body puncher who changes angles, speed and power when letting his hands go and while Kim may have his moments, Inoue should retain his belts. However, how long this contest goes is anybody’s guess. Inoue’s a KO artist but Kim has never been stopped in his 25 pro contests. Of course with Inoue a stoppage is never a bad bet. Also, at these astronomical odds there’s nothing wrong with placing a small wager on Kim just in case he pulls off a miracle.
Inoue’s power and boxing skills should get the job done.
Play Inoue -10000 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Naoya Inoue betting • Ye Joon Kim betting