ProBox TV analyst Shawn Porter has received a lot of criticism for his recent comments about Naoya Inoue that the Japanese star needs to conquer the United States to become a world superstar.
It’s an old debate whether a fighter has to beat America in order to rise, but as time went by, Inoue became famous in Japan and respected around the world.
The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs), nicknamed “The Monster,” will fight Mexico’s Luis Neri on May 6 in front of 55,000 people at the Tokyo Dome. and, for the most part, he was the winner. people. he’s the top hitter in the sport and is tied with Terrence Crawford for the top two.
Top Rank vice president Todd Dubov strongly disagreed with Porter’s comments, saying that Inoue is not only the best fighter he’s ever seen, but that he has a degree.
‘Monster’ Numbers: Naoya Inoue Is Trending Globally – Not Just in Japan https://t.co/Ee29wkSKUp
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) April 23, 2024
“I don’t agree with that, but that’s his view,” Dubov said of Porter’s comments. ——Selfishly, I really want [Inoue] to come to America. He is a wise man. I’ll say it this way: I think he’s the best fighter I’ve seen in 30 years…a real fighter, because I like his athleticism, his arm strength, IQ, defense, offense. He does everything.
But the market he is in supports him well. He doesn’t want to go to America. [For Manny] Pacquiao, the Philippines is a country with a poor economy. Japan is an economically developed country with large galleries and large media outlets.
–[Shohei] Ohtani should go to [Major League Baseball] because it’s the best place and the best place to play baseball, right? Japan was not a good place for him to develop as a baseball player; he must go there. Inoue knew where he was. He can do it in Japan, or he can do it in America, or we can go to Wembley (London Stadium) and do it.
But for now, Inoue hopes to break more records in Japan and face Neri at the Tokyo Dome next month.
“I think this will surpass [Mike] Tyson and [Buster] Douglas as the biggest boxing event in American history,” Dubov said of Inoue-Nery. ——He is a wise man. Should he be removed from the home? He is a gift to the nation, isn’t he? Will he still apply to other countries? We said, “To be a star, you have to come to America,” which was a little ironic. I wish we hadn’t seen it, we’re sorry.
In 2019, Matchroom brought Anthony Joshua to the United States to fight Jarrell Miller, but when Miller tested positive for PEDs, Andy Ruiz stepped in and knocked him out. Joshua’s Madison Square Garden in New York. Joshua has not boxed on American soil since then. Joshua tried his hand in the United States and then boxed in Saudi Arabia before returning to England.
– I think we are all visionaries – we see black and white pictures of The Beatles getting off the plane, they had to come to America to be successful, the Rolling Stones – came to America to success, Levi jeans – says duBoef.
– I think that’s a shallow view of the world today. I don’t think you need to live in the US. I think the world has become very flat these days we are connected. When [Inoue] fought, he was chasing No. 1 worldwide. He cried. We can post instant proof that everyone can see. So I think it’s kind of racist to think that he has to fight in America to become a superstar.
-For our project, damn it, I want him in America! I wanted to bring this little treasure as close to home as possible.
