The boxing world is in shock! Naoya Inoue, the unbeaten Japanese and undisputed Super Bantamweight champion, has been devastatingly defeated by Britain’s Nick Ball in a fight that left fans speechless and on the edge of their seats. In an unexpected twist, Ball, known for his ferocity and power, ended Inoue’s reign in the second round, marking the first defeat for the Japanese boxer and unleashing a whirlwind of controversy in the boxing world.
The fight, held at the iconic Ariake Arena in Tokyo, pitted Inoue (27-1, 24 KOs), who was defending his WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF 122-pound titles, against Nick Ball (20-1-1, 12 KOs), a challenger many underestimated due to his lack of experience in high-caliber fights. However, Ball, nicknamed “The Destroyer” for his aggressive style, proved he wasn’t there to be a simple step in Inoue’s career. From the first round, Ball stunned the crowd by landing a brutal combination of hooks to the body that staggered Inoue, something few believed possible.
The decisive moment came in the second round, when Ball threw a devastating uppercut that left Inoue staggered. Giving him no time to recover, Ball followed with an explosion of punches, culminating in a right hand that sent Inoue 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 Super Bantamweight world champion and unleashing a mixture of gasps and tears from the 15,000 fans in attendance. “I didn’t give him time to react! I knew I had to go all out from the start,” Ball exclaimed in the post-fight interview, raising Inoue’s belts with a defiant smile.
The knockout video has gone viral on social media, racking up over 30 million views on X, with the hashtags #ballvsinoue and #inouesiniempo trending worldwide with over 4 million mentions. Fans are divided, with some praising Ball as an “unexpected hero” who ended Inoue’s dominance, while others are questioning the referee’s decision, claiming the fight was stopped too early. “This is a shame for boxing! Inoue deserved more time to recover,” one user wrote on X, while another defended Ball: “Nick Ball is a beast! He didn’t stand a chance, this isn’t robbery, this is justice!”
The defeat has generated explosive reactions from prominent boxing figures. Legendary Manny Pacquiao, who watched the fight from ringside, expressed his disbelief: “I never thought I would see him go down like that. Ball has incredible power, but I think the referee was hasty.” On the other hand, former heavyweight boxer Josh Warrington congratulated Ball on X: “Nick Ball just made history! Nobody believed he could beat Inoue, but he did it in style.” Meanwhile, some rumors suggest that Inoue is considering retirement after this humiliating defeat, with sources close to the Japanese indicating that “he is emotionally devastated and doesn’t know if he can return to the ring after this.”
Nick Ball, now the new king of 122 pounds, wasted no time issuing a challenge to other boxing greats. “I’m the best in the world now! Let Marlon Tapales come, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, or even a lightweight like Gervonta Davis, I’ll destroy them all,” Ball proclaimed, as the crowd cheered him on. However, some experts believe Inoue will demand an immediate rematch, and there is already talk of a potential confrontation in Las Vegas in late 2025 to settle this explosive rivalry.
This fight has changed the landscape of boxing forever, leaving fans with more questions than answers. Is this the end of the Naoya Inoue era, or will he come back stronger than ever? Can Nick Ball maintain his reign in the face of the challenges ahead? The boxing world is ablaze with this news, and we can’t wait to see what’s next! What do you think of this historic fight? Leave us your comments right now!
