Japanese super flyweight sensation Naoya “Monster” Inoue lived up to his nickname this morning US time at home in Japan. French title challenger Yoann Boyeaux never stood a chance. Light flyweight Ken Shiro also defended his WBO belt in the co-main event.
To his credit, Yoann Boyeaux (41-5, 26 KOs) came to Japan to attempt to win the WBO world title and make a name for himself. Even after the French super flyweight ate a big right hand a minute into the fight and was clearly bothered, he persevered with movement and his own offense. Monster Inoue (15-0, 12 KOs) would have none of it though. In the closing seconds of the first round, the Japanese superstar landed a left hook so devastating to see that it would have been a last second knockout of the year candidate had Boyeaux not risen from it.
Somehow Boyeaux not only survived the huge shot, but he made it through the second round without being put back down too. He would not be so lucky in the third. A classic left hook to the liver had the French title challenger down early in round three. Again, he gamely fired back, but Inoue put him down quickly once more with the same body work. Wisely, Boyeaux decided for the first time to try to run away and buy time after the second knockdown in the third. This extended his life for only thirty seconds or so, however, as Inoue shortly after put him on the ropes and mercilessly ended the affair with a devastating combination to the body that saw Boyeaux down for the fourth time and the fight called off.
This was at best a showcase matchup with Yoann Boyeaux not necessarily belonging here, but what a showcase it was. Monster Inoue delivered. From his own mouth, he will now be moving up to bantamweight.
In the co-main event, WBO light flyweight titlist Ken Shiro (12-0, 6 KOs) picked up a fourth round stoppage win over Panamanian challenger Gilberto Pedroza (18-4-2, 8 KOs). Unfortunately, this fight did not thrill like the main event. Very little happened in the first two rounds and the finish came somewhat unexpectedly in the fourth when an overhand right started the finishing sequence early in the round. After being put down to a knee, Pedroza rose, but Shiro swarmed and got the fight stopped for his sixth knockout victory.
