Paul Buter has entered 36 matches since turning pro, but will face his toughest test to date, when he travels to Japan to face Naoya Inoue.
Butler clinched the interim WBO title when he edged past Jonas Sultan to score a unanimous decision victory in April, and his belt was upgraded to the full world title. The 34-year-old’s first title defense will be against ‘The Beast’ Inoue, when Butler stands in the way of Inoue’s seemingly undisputed crown.
Inoue is undefeated with 20 kills in his 23 matches and comes into the match as a favorite.
Having held world titles in both light and ultralight, it seems the Japanese phenomenon has found his optimal weight in bantamweight, where he has shunned all his challengers. including the likes of Nonito Donaire, in one of the standout performances of 2022.
Now, with Inoue widely expected to make his way to super bantamweight, he’s looking to cement his legacy in the weightlifting category as an undisputed title, with many fans considering the win. before Butler was just a formality.
Twelve of Inoue’s last thirteen matches ended in a knockout, the only exception being Donaire, who was later knocked out by him in the rematch. While Butler himself is undefeated in eight games and loves nothing more than to shock the world and become his undisputed self, he will earn a lot of respect just by touching his voice. last bell.
Butler’s confidence has yet to be beaten, as he travels with high confidence and a solid team backs him up, in the form of coach Joe Gallagher and former world champion Scott Quigg.
However, to add to the tension of fighting one of the best weightlifters of his generation, Butler had a rough journey to Asia, with him and his team. missed their flights to Japan through problems at the airport.
However, the British tennis player remains sure of himself and believes he can be the man to end Inoue’s unbeaten streak and that confidence was evident in the promotional video for the match from Official Publishing House.
“I wasn’t intimidated by anything, so I had a good chance.”
“I believe everyone is there to be beaten, the record belongs to the DJ. I went there to win.”
The fight will take place in Tokyo on Tuesday, with competitions at around 10:00 a.m. GMT and available on Kayo Sports for $29.95.
