Former multi-weight world champion Nonito Donaire believes WBC and WBO world super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton has the slight edge over Naoya Inoue.
The pair meet for Fulton's world titles on Tuesday in Japan in what will be Inoue's first fight at 122 pounds.
Donaire has faced Inoue twice during his career in 2019 and 2022, but on both occasions he found himself being beaten by the man known as "The Monster."
However, while Inoue's equalizer for Fulton is his knockout power, Donaire believes the move up in weight to face the talented American may work against him.
"With Inoue going up in weight and Fulton being the champion, you know, I have to give a slight edge [to] Fulton because Inoue has never fought anybody like Fulton,” Donaire told BoxingScene.com.
“And Fulton is the champion, so I just have to give a slight edge to Fulton.
"I think Fulton is hungry and he is excited for this fight because [Inoue is] a name that will get him to be noticed in the boxing world like Inoue is, in terms of notoriety and stuff like that. That’s something that Fulton is looking to have.”