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The Japan News/Yomiuri
The Japan News/Yomiuri
Sport
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Inoue becomes 1st Japan boxer to hold 3 world titles in same weight

Naoya Inoue gives a thumbs-up as he poses with his three bantamweight belts after his victory at Saitama Super Arena on Tuesday. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Naoya Inoue became the first Japanese boxer to simultaneously hold world titles from three sanctioning bodies in the same weight class after gaining the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight belt from Filipino Nonito Donaire with a second-round technical knockout on Tuesday at Saitama Super Arena.

In a rematch of their November 2019 bout, Inoue defeated Donaire again with a dominant performance, adding the WBC belt to his World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles.

"I put pressure on myself to try to dominate and win. I was able to come away with the best outcome, and this was a great day," the 29-year-old Inoue said from the ring, wearing the three belts as he relished the moment with the crowd.

Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/

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