'I couldn't feel my legs' - what it's like to fight Inoue

Breaking news from the world of sport: 'I couldn't feel my legs' - what it's like to fight Inoue Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Naoya Inoue (right) won his first world title in his sixth fight By Chris McKenna Boxing writer Published 15 minutes ago It has been described as feeling like an electric shock. That is what it is like to be hit by the boxer known as 'the Monster'. One of the most feared punchers on the planet stands at 5ft 5in and weighs less than 9st.

That man is Japan's Naoya Inoue. On Saturday the four-weight world champion and two-division undisputed king will attempt to defend his super-bantamweight titles against compatriot and three-division champion Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome. Inoue has stopped opponents 27 times in 32 wins and put foes down on the canvas on more than 45 occasions.

Match Details

Along with Oleksandr Usyk, he is one of the greatest fighters in the world. Speaking to those who have fought him, Sport finds out what is it like to face Inoue. The fear factor Paul Butler was a two-time world bantamweight champion and title challenger at super-flyweight before he faced Inoue in 2022.

The Briton held the WBO title that Inoue wanted in his quest to become an undisputed champion at bantamweight. Butler took a deal to travel to Japan to face Inoue in his own backyard. He was preparing with trainer Joe Gallagher at home and the video research had him wincing.

"I've got in my mind for 12 weeks, when he hits me it's going to feel like a train hit me," Butler says. "I've got Joe sending me sparring clips of Inoue. "He's putting people over with 14oz gloves on and I'm thinking, 'wow, I wonder what he punches like with 8oz gloves on'.

Reactions and Expectations

" When Butler stood with Inoue, he had renewed confidence because Inoue struggled with the weight cut. "I remember having a face-to-face with him after the weigh-in and looking and thinking 'How on earth are you knocking people's spark out? Mate, you're tiny'," said Butler.

"Then he got in the ring the next day and he was massive. "He had his back to me. I looked at his calves and I thought 'wow - the size of his legs'.

" The power In 2020 Jason Moloney was offered the chance to face Inoue for the IBF and WBA bantamweight titles in a temporary venue known as 'The Bubble' at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The Australian jumped at the chance. Moloney, who went on to become a WBO bantamweight champion in 2023, describes taking Inoue's best shots.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.