Naoya Inoue responded to controversy ahead of Fulton vs Inoue Showdown in Tokyo
Naoya Inoue has responded to the controversy ahead of Fulton vs Inoue title challenge with a statement of his own. The boxing community engaged in a heated debate after Wahid Rahim, the head trainer of WBC/WBO junior featherweight titlist Stephen Fulton, accused Inoue of using a hand-wrapping technique that allegedly creates a simulated cast around his fists. Rahim raised these claims during a pre-fight press conference before the highly anticipated match. During the last press conference before the Fulton vs Inoue fight, Inoue chose not to delve into the matter but later took to his social media platforms to share his perspective in both Japanese and English. He offered some advice to the opposing camp, urging them not to dwell on the issue and simply focus on the fight ahead.
The bout between Fulton and Inoue is set to headline a major event, streaming live on Lemino in Japan and on ESPN+ in the U.S. The majority of experts have predicted Inoue, the unbeaten former three-division champion, to come out victorious and potentially become a four-division champion. Interestingly, Fulton did not address the hand-wrapping allegations himself, and it was Rahim who spoke up on his behalf. The trainer claimed that Fulton had asked him not to raise the issue, but Rahim felt it necessary to ensure his fighter's safety. The controversy involved the threat of not allowing Fulton, who is fighting in Japan for the first time, to enter the ring if the hand-wrapping matter wasn't resolved. However, it is worth noting that the technique used by Inoue—wrapping his hands with tape on the skin, followed by gauze, and repeating the process—is within the rules of the Japanese Boxing Commission. This method is also allowed in several commissions in the U.S., although some refer to it as 'stacking.'“Don't suck it up. Just Fight.”
“Japan has its own local rules. Even in the United States, there are local rules depending on the state, and the [wrapping] method is different. Our fight will be held in Japan on 25th, so of course I will follow the Japanese rules.”In response to the debate, Inoue emphasized that different regions have their own specific rules when it comes to hand-wrapping, and he intends to follow the Japanese rules for his fight on the 25th. Inoue is no stranger to championship glory, having previously held titles at junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, and bantamweight. His remarkable knockout victory over Paul Butler in December of the previous year made him the first boxer to fully unify the bantamweight division in the multi-belt era and the first Asian fighter to achieve such a feat at any weight class. A win in the upcoming Fulton vs Inoue match would grant him the distinction of being Japan's first boxer to claim unified title status in two or more weight divisions.
