Comments Thread For: Photos: Naoya Inoue Grinds in Camp For Marlon Tapales Undisputed Clash

[ShoulderRoll]

It will make him stay higher than Haney on the Fighter of the Year comparison, that is for sure. P4P #1 come the end of the year will either be Crawford or Inoue just like how it currently is, one thing for certain is that it won't be Haney regardless of what Inoue does.

Essentially Prograis was in the same position as what Tapales is now...the weak link and easier belt holder of the division. Only difference is that Haney had other belt holders to choose from and yet went for the weaker opponent. If Haney had fought Teo or Matias for his first fight in 140 and won dominantly like he did against Prograis, he probably would've been FotY and higher in P4P.

I don’t know why you directed that at me, I certainly don’t think Haney is P4P #1.

But Regis Prograis had only lost a razor close fight to Josh Taylor before Haney. And Taylor was unified champion at 140 lbs. That’s more impressive than anything Tapales has done in my opinion. I also disagree about Prograis being the weak link and easier best holder of the division…that designation belongs to Rolly Romero.

[Elheath]

I don’t know why you directed that at me, I certainly don’t think Haney is P4P #1.

But Regis Prograis had only lost a razor close fight to Josh Taylor before Haney. And Taylor was unified champion at 140 lbs. That’s more impressive than anything Tapales has done in my opinion. I also disagree about Prograis being the weak link and easier best holder of the division…that designation belongs to Rolly Romero.

Oops sorry I think I had you mistaken with the guy that was arguing that Haney should be the FotY in another thread, mixed in with Bill's delusion that Devin was P4P #1 over Crawford because Spence was not worth that much credit or whatever.

Rolly is the weakest, and Prograis is the second weakest coming off a crummy last match making them both the weaker half, while Teo and Matias is the stronger half of 140 beltwise. Just like Tapales is the weaker half to Fulton who was stronger half. I'm not denying Tapales is unimpressive, but the difference is that he is a pit stop Inoue was forced to stop at to collect the last belts left in the division where Haney had two other choices that were better opponents, but chose the easier path.

In a perfect world MJ won against Tapales this spring while Inoue was fighting Fulton. That way Inoue would have fought the undefeated number 1 and 1A of the division to go undisputed this year and followed up next year with Nery/Goodman as mandatory and a bonus Casimero with Tapales no where to be found before he moves up.

[JonDP]

Inoue is not one to overlook any opponent. The same goes for all Japanese fighters as a matter of fact. The discipline is unquestionable.

[Bro. Steve]

The dude is a great fighter, but he really needs to lose the peroxide bottle.

[_Rexy_]

You think beating Tapales will make him P4P #1?

He's a 2 division world champion....More than you can say about guys like Spence and Ryder.

[PunchyPotorff]

No such thing as forgone conclusions in boxing, but this is close.

I dunno... Mike Tyson used that phrase constantly when he was active. LOL

[ShoulderRoll]

He's a 2 division world champion....More than you can say about guys like Spence and Ryder.

So you think beating Tapales will put Inoue over the top of having beat Spence?

[Elheath]

So you think beating Tapales will put Inoue over the top of having beat Spence?

I'm not sure if it will because that depends on voter's choice, and frankly I still wish MJ had the belts right now because then there will be no doubt as dominantly defeating undefeated #1 and #1A of the division in Fulton/MJ consecutively in the same year to go undisputed in just two fights would've been a no question guaranteed FotY and #1 P4P over defeating Spence once in 2023. That is how much Tapales ruined my personal dream scenario, which hopefully gets somewhat rectified in 2024 when Inoue destroys mandatory challengers Nery and MJ.

However if Crawford fights a worthless Spence rematch next year and unsurprisingly destroys him again but doesn't do much else, the value of Spence I win from prior year won't be enough to keep him in the top because unlike the Spence I win the immediate Spence II rematch is worth even less than the upcoming Tapales destruction by Inoue.

[ShoulderRoll]

I'm not sure if it will because that depends on voter's choice, and frankly I still wish MJ had the belts right now because then there will be no doubt as dominantly defeating undefeated #1 and #1A of the division in Fulton/MJ consecutively in the same year to go undisputed in just two fights would've been a no question guaranteed FotY and #1 P4P over defeating Spence once in 2023. That is how much Tapales ruined my personal dream scenario, which hopefully gets somewhat rectified in 2024 when Inoue destroys mandatory challengers Nery and MJ.

However if Crawford fights a worthless Spence rematch next year and unsurprisingly destroys him again but doesn't do much else, the value of Spence I win from prior year won't be enough to keep him in the top because unlike the Spence I win the immediate Spence II rematch is worth even less than the upcoming Tapales destruction by Inoue.

What if Crawford does the Spence rematch AND beats Tim Tszyu next year?

[Elheath]

What if Crawford does the Spence rematch AND beats Tim Tszyu next year?

IF Crawford actually fights twice next year and defeats Tszyu dominantly for the belt at 154 while Inoue KOs Nery and MJ, then it will be a genuinely interesting competition and probably depends on the way they both defeats their opponents.

Timeline wise I can see something like this:
February the worthless Spence II rematch...no effect in overall ranking for Crawford when he wins (so he will stay 1 if he is 1, and 2 if he is 2). Won't happen but if he somehow loses, Crawford will slide down while Spence regains his value, and both will be below Inoue.
May Inoue destroys mandatory Nery...Inoue will be above Crawford for sure if he wasn't already. Whether he is #1 will depend on Usyk/Fury result in spring, but definitely be above Crawford.
Fall? Inoue destroys MJ...Inoue would stay at 1 or go up to 1 if Usyk had won against Fury in spring but isn't scheduled for anything until 2025 thus going down to 2. Crawford will be 3 or below.
Winter? Crawford goes up and defeats Tszyu...depending on how he wins and how Inoue won vs Nery/MJ, it could vault him up back to 1 or 2.

In an very unlikely but hypothetical situation, if Inoue fights three times next year against Nery/MJ and Casimero or Goodman, regardless of Crawford defeating Tszyu, Inoue will be 1.