The boxing world is in shock! Naoya Inoue, the unbeatable Japanese “monster” and the undisputed champion of Super Bantamweight, has been devastatingly defeated by Nick Ball of Great Britain in a fight that left fans without words and on the edge of their seats. In a shocking turn, Ball, known for its ferocity and power, ended the reign of Inoue in the second round, marking the first defeat of the Japanese boxer’s career and unleashing a torbellino of controversy in the world of boxing.
The fight, held at the iconic Ariake Arena in Tokyo, faced Inoue (27-1, 24 ko), which was defending his amb, WBC, WBC, WBO and IBF titles of 122 pounds, against Nick Ball (20-1-1, 12 kos), a challenge that many underestimated due to their lack of experience in high-caliber fights. However, Ball, nicknamed “The Destroyer” for his aggressive style, showed that he was not there to be a simple springboard in Inoue’s career. From the first round, Ball surprised the crowd by landing a brutal combination of hooks to the body that staggered Inoue, something that few believed possible.
The decisive moment came in the second round, when Ball threw a devastating uppercut that left Inoue staggered. Not giving him time to recover, Ball continued with a burst of blows, which culminated with a right hand that sent the Japanese fighter to the canvas for the first time in his professional career. The referee stopped the fight at 2:45 of the second round, declaring Ball the new world champion of Super Bantam weight and unleashing a mixture of gasps and tears of the 15,000 fans who attend. “I didn’t give him any time to react! I knew he had to leave from the beginning,” Ball exclaimed in the interview after the fight, holding Innoue’s belts with a challenging smile.
The knockout video has gone viral on social networks, accumulating more than 30 million visits about X, with the hashtags #ballvsinoue and #inuewithouttime trends worldwide with more than 4 million mentions. Fans are divided, with a praise ball as an “unexpected hero” that ended with the domain of Inoue, while others question the referee’s decision, claiming that the fight stopped too early. “This is a misfortune for boxing! Inoue deserved more time to recover,” wrote an user in X, while another defeated ball: “Nick Ball is a beast! Inoue had no possibility, this is not theft, it is justice!”
The defeat has generated explosive reactions from the main boxing figures. The legendary Manny Pacquiao, who saw the fight from the ringside, expressed his disbelief: “I never thought I would see I would fall like this. The ball has incredible power, but I think the referee was hurried.” Meanwhile, the former pen champion Josh Warrington congratulated the ball to X: “Nick Ball made history! No one believed that he could beat Inoue, but he did it with style. Meanwhile, some rumors suggest that Inoue is considering retirement after the humiliating defeat, with sources close to the Japanese fighter who indicate that“ it is an emotional accident and does not know if it can return to this.
Nick Ball, now the new 122 -pound king, did not miss the time to issue a challenge to other boxing. “I am the best in the world now! Let Marlon Tapales, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, or even a light weight like Gervonta Davis, I will destroy them all,” Ball proclaimed, while the crowd of cheers. However, some experts believe that he will demand an immediate rematch, and there is already talk of a possible confrontation in Las Vegas at the end of 2025 to resolve this explosive rivalry.
This fight has changed the boxing panorama forever, leaving fans with more questions than answers. Is this the end of the Naoya Inoue era, or will it return stronger than ever? Can Nick Ball keep his reign in front of the challenges ahead? The boxing world is on fire with this news, and we cannot wait to see what follows! What do you think of this historical fight? Leave us your comments right now!
