Naoya Inoue’s unique problems are not of his own making – but this plan could fix them
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The Japanese star is a four-weight world champion and has been undisputed in two divisions, but does the wider boxing world truly understand his talent?. Naoya Inoue may be the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world. That sentiment has been shared enough times on these pages, even amid Oleksandr Usyk’s back-to-back victories over Tyson Fury in 2024, and Terence Crawford’s repeated triumphs. In fact, there are no better measuring sticks for Inoue than Usyk and Crawford.
![[Naoya Inoue (left) recovered from a shock knockdown to dismantle Luis Nery last year]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/05/06/14/ef39ef808e9943ec973b1e2664195170.jpg)
Inoue, Crawford and Usyk – The Independent’s top three pound-for-pound boxers, in that order – are the only fighters in the four-belt era to have been undisputed champions at two weights. Crawford did it first, adding undisputed welterweight gold to his super-lightweight silverware; Inoue followed later in 2023, becoming undeniable at super-bantamweight, having previously earned that status at bantamweight; then Usyk got involved last May, the former cruiserweight king winning a classic with Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years.
![[Inoue is an unbeaten four-weight champion, undisputed in two divisions]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/07/25/14/newFile-7.jpg)
And given all three men are unbeaten, you have to split hairs to separate them. Usyk is ‘only’ a two-weight champion overall, while Crawford’s latest win made him a four-weight champion. Inoue has also held world titles in four divisions, but his knockout rate (25 KOs from 28 wins) eclipses those of Crawford and Usyk. An unmatched ruthlessness.
![[The Independent ranks Inoue as its pound-for-pound No 1 boxer]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/07/25/14/newFile.jpg)
All of this is to say: the average boxing fan may be quick to name Crawford or Usyk as the greatest living boxer – they may not even be that aware of Inoue – but the Japanese’s achievements might actually surpass the American and Ukrainian’s. Inoue’s profile does not match his prowess, basically.
