Inoue – like Nakatani 31-0; his 27 knockouts give him three more than his rival – is on the verge of fighting for the fourth time in under 12 months, maintaining his long-term status of being not only the world’s third finest active fighter, but the busiest of the elite. At 32 he has demonstrated signs of decline – the aggressive Ramon Cardenas, particularly, exposed that when dropping him during May’s entertaining shootout in Las Vegas – so even if he is unwilling to recognise that his very best may be behind him, as a professional who won his first title at 108lbs he is aware of the risk posed by those who are more naturally suited to his fighting weight.
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