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    Boxing

    Eddie Hearn names the pound-for-pound superstar who he thinks will vacate his world title

    Eddie Hearn names the pound-for-pound superstar who he thinks will vacate his world titleMatchroom Boxing
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    Naoya Inoue impressed once again earlier this month when he defended his world titles at super-bantamweight with a dominant win over Ye Joon Kim. 

    The South Korean took the fight on just a couple of weeks' notice, but his efforts were not rewarded as he was brutally stopped in the fourth round. 

    The result makes it 26 stoppages from 29 wins, but who will be next for the heavy-handed superstar from Japan? 

    One potential option could be a showdown with MJ Akhmadaliev with the Uzbeki fighter eager to test himself against Inoue. 

    Inoue-Kim_24012025PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images

    Featherweight is another potential route for Inoue with numerous high-profile operators holding world titles at 126lbs. 

    Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Akhmadaliev, has long pushed for his man to be rewarded with a fight against Inoue, but he is not confident the bout will happen. 

    “Naoya Inoue is straight ducking Akhmadaliev. He’s been ordered to fight him twice. He’s had two gimme fights instead of fighting Akhmadaliev,” said Hearn when speaking to talkSPORT. 

    “On Monday, the WBA will write to Naoya Inoue and say, ‘Enough is enough. You have to fight Akhmadaliev or you’ll be stripped of your WBA title and you will no longer be undisputed.’ Watch this now. Naoya Inoue will vacate his WBA world title.”

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