Former Boxer Believes This Fighter Would Be The One To Take Down Naoya Inoue

‘His Style Gives Inoue Nightmares’ – Former Boxer Believes This Fighter Would Be The One To Take Down Naoya Inoue

Former champion Carl Frampton gives the edge to 126 lb champion over Naoya Inoue in a potential title fight scenario !

Former Boxer Believes This Fighter Would Be The One To Take Down Naoya Inoue

Boxing fans love an unbeaten star. They gather around to watch, hoping to witness something special. But fans also love a good giant-slayer, someone who can shock the world. Throughout boxing history, fans have seen the impossible happen. Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson. Andy Ruiz Jr. dropped Anthony Joshua. Everybody loves an underdog story!

Naoya Inoue is arguably boxing’s most dominant active fighter. The Japanese sensation has torn through four weight classes and collected world titles like candy. His combination of speed, power, and technical brilliance has left opponents stunned. With a record of 29-0 including 26 knockouts, Inoue has earned his “Monster” nickname. But according to former two-division world champion Carl Frampton, there might be one man out there who could tame this beast!

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Potential Featherweight Challenge

Naoya Inoue currently rules as the undisputed king of the 122-pound super bantamweight division. He holds all the major belts and has left a trail of destruction behind him. The Monster isn’t slowing down either, with a title defense scheduled for May 4 against Ramon Cardenas. While Inoue focuses on protecting his kingdom at super bantamweight, whispers of a potential move up to the 126-pound featherweight division have started circulating in boxing circles. That’s where current WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball comes into the picture.

𝐁𝐄𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄… 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐒 👹

Tickets on-sale NOW 🎟️ https://t.co/TKxvIhwJwM pic.twitter.com/JgsLrWA4UH
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) March 20, 2025

Ball recently defended his title with a tenth-round stoppage of TJ Doheny. The fight wasn’t without controversy. Ball threw Doheny to the ground at one point and was even involved in a bizarre kicking incident. Still, his boxing skills shined through as he eventually wore down his opponent for the TKO victory.

Following the win, Ball didn’t waste time calling for a shot at Inoue if the pound-for-pound star decides to move up in weight. At 22-0-1 with 13 knockouts, Ball has proven himself a legitimate champion, though one who hasn’t yet faced opposition of Inoue’s caliber.

Carl Frampton Shares Bold Prediction

Carl Frampton knows a thing or two about boxing at the highest level. He is the former super bantamweight and featherweight world champion. And when Frampton speaks about boxing, people listen. That is why his recent comments about a potential Inoue-Ball matchup raised eyebrows throughout the boxing world.

“I genuinely think he [Nick Ball] has a very, very good chance at beating him. Styles make fights and Nick Ball’s style gives Inoue nightmares. I think he can win that fight. He would be the favorite for me,” said Frampton during an interview with Boxing News.

“I really give Nick Ball a chance in the fight.”

Carl Frampton speaks to The Ring about Naoya Inoue and believes that Nick Ball could be the man who beats him. pic.twitter.com/EnaZtT20Ns
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 1, 2025

These bold words from Frampton go against conventional wisdom. Most boxing experts view Naoya Inoue as nearly unbeatable at this stage of his career. But Frampton’s argument centers around fighting styles. Ball’s aggressive, pressure-fighting approach could potentially give Inoue problems he hasn’t encountered before. The 28-year-old Ball isn’t the most technically refined boxer, but his relentlessness and awkward style might be just what it takes to disrupt Inoue’s rhythm.

Frampton clearly sees something in Ball that reminds him of fighters who have pulled off shocking upsets in the past. Whether this dream match ever materializes remains to be seen. However, Frampton’s endorsement certainly adds intrigue to a potential showdown between ‘The Monster’ and the man who might just have his kryptonite!

(Image Credit: naoyainoue_410 – Instagram)

Carl Frampton

Naoya Inoue

Nick Ball

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!