Mexican former two-division world champion Luis Nery is well aware that the odds are stacked against him when he challenges pound-for-pound king Naoya “Monster” Inoue for the undisputed junior featherweight world championship on Monday, May 6 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. However, Nery is confident that he can pull off a major upset, citing the historic nature of the venue. The Tokyo Dome was the site of one of boxing’s biggest upsets when James “Buster” Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in the 10th round to capture the undisputed heavyweight crown in February 1990.
Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) captured the WBC bantamweight world title by beating Shinsuke Yamanaka in August 2017, but lost it the following year after failing to make weight for their rematch. He moved up to junior featherweight, where he earned the WBC strap against Aaron Alameda in September 2020. The 29-year-old suffered his first loss in a unification showdown against WBA champ Brandon Figueroa in May 2021. Since that defeat, Nery has gone 4-0 with three knockouts, including a dramatic 11th-round stoppage of Azat Hovhannisyan last February in a Fight of the Year contender.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a four-division world champion who looks to defend his undisputed crown after last year’s demolitions of unified world champions Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales. The Japanese star is known for his exceptional speed, power, and technical skills.
Despite Inoue’s formidable reputation, Nery believes he has the tools to emerge victorious. “I’m the only one who can beat Inoue because I have good power, I can take punches, I have heart, and I’m willing to die in the ring,” said Nery. “I’m a fighter who, above all, is a brawler. I like to brawl in the ring. But, I like to counter as well. If the fight allows for it, and if the fighter and the style allow for it, then I do it. I adapt to whatever style of fight I’m in to get the victory.”
Nery also expressed his belief that Inoue should not have taken the fight. “I think that Inoue shouldn’t have taken this fight. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t have taken it. He has nothing to win by beating me. In fact, he has everything to lose. I have nothing to lose. I’m not a champion. I’m not at the top like him. I’m going for all the marbles. I’m coming with everything. I will take risks, and I’m willing to die in the ring.”
The highly anticipated showdown between Nery and Inoue is expected to be a thrilling contest. With both fighters possessing knockout power and exceptional skills, the outcome is far from certain. The event will be streamed live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT.
