WBO Super Flyweight titlist Naoya Inoue (12-0, 10 KOs) has his next defense scheduled against Ricardo Rodriguez (16-3, 5 KOs) of Mexico City. Also featured on the card will be IBF Light Flyweight titlist Akira Yaegashi (25-5, 13 KOs) defending against Filipino Milan Melindo (35-2, 12 KOs).
“The Monster” Naoya Inoue is without question one of the most talented fighters in the sport. In 2014 Inoue, at only 20 years old, dethroned long time top fighter in the 108 lb division Adrian Hernandez in six to win an alphabet belt in only his sixth pro fight. He defended it once and then jumped two weight classes to super flyweight to smash out another long time champion, Omar Narvaez, a man who had only otherwise lost once in 46 fights when he tried to move up in weight to fight a prime Donaire, including 12 title fight wins. Inoue smashed him in two. Injuries limited the young Japenese sensation to one fight in 2015, but he worked in three defenses in 2016 and is now looking at his first fight of 2017.
Rodriquez is an okay title defense. With Chocolatito, Rungvisai, Estrada, and Cuadras all busy with one another, he will have to do. With talk of Inoue being ready for another weight jump, however, I really hope he gets in with the best at 115 soon because the fights might not be there for long.
As for the co-feature, Akira Yaegashi isn’t a particularly strong champion and Melindo isn’t a great challenger, but 108 really isn’t a very strong division these days on the whole either. All its previous strength has moved up. Yaegashi is ranked second in the division by Ring Magazine, Melindo eighth. All in all given the state of the division, probably about as good of a fight as you could hope for.
