By: Sean Crose
He’s exciting to watch, engages aggressively, and puts his punches together well. He also employs fight ending body shots. No it’s not Naoya Inoue I write about here, it’s “The Monster’s” next opponent, Ye Joo Kim. Never heard of the South Korean fighter? Neither had most fans until the 21-2-2 contender was named as Inoue’s opponent for this Friday. Inoue was supposed to face Sam Goodman, but an injury took Goodman out of the fight (it was the second time in just a few months that an injury prevented Goodman from facing Inoue in the ring). Suffice to say, Goodman’s loss is Kim’s gain.
Does the 32 year old stand a chance against the 28-0 Inoue, however? Honestly? Probably not much of one. Still, one never knows when it comes to boxing. While it’s true all but three of Inoue’s 28 wins have come by knockout (he’s undefeated) there’s little doubt Kim will give it his absolute all. Not only would he become a legend by upsetting pound for pound great Inoue, he would also become the IBF, WBC, and WBO super bantamweight champion of the world. Without doubt, Kim stands to be the toast of boxing should he pull out the win.
More than likely, however, Kim will end up being another victim of Inoue’s explosive skill set. Inoue
is a patient, exceedingly confident power puncher who employs pressure methodically and with real menace. His footwork is a marvel and his blows border on frightening. This is especially true of Inoue’s body shots, which are the stuff of legend. Along with Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford, Japan’s Inoue is currently the greatest fighter on earth. His fights, even against less known opponents like Kim, are must see affairs. If Kim finds a way to win on Friday, however, their fight will be one for the ages.