Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue Junior Featherweight Super Fight in Tokyo – Heated Weigh-in Video

(July 21, 2023) — American fight fans will be treated to “Breakfast With The Monster” this Tuesday, July 25, as Naoya “Monster” Inoue attempts to dethrone WBC/WBO junior featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) aims to become a four-weight world champion after attaining undisputed status as a bantamweight. Many experts regard him as the world’s pound-for-pound king, and he looks to bolster that claim with a win over Philadelphia native Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs).

“Cool Boy Steph” has not fought since June 2022, when he dominated former unified world champion Danny Roman over 12 rounds.Fulton-Inoue and undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. starting at 4:30 a.m. ET/1:30 a.m. PT.The ESPN+ stream is also scheduled to include the following bouts:

• Cuban sensation Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (12-1, 7 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Japanese contender Satoshi Shimizu (11-1, 10 KOs). Ramirez snatched the vacant title in April with a one-sided decision over former junior featherweight world champion Isaac Dogboe. Shimizu, a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, has won three straight bouts since a 2019 TKO defeat to Joe Noynay.
• In an eight-round light flyweight attraction, unbeaten knockout artist Kanamu Sakama (7-0, 6 KOs) steps up against Ryu Horikawa (3-1-2, 1 KO), who is coming off an eight-round draw against former flyweight world champion Sho Kimura.
• Japanese junior featherweight phenom Yoshiki Takei (6-0, 6 KOs) looks to make it lucky number seven in an eight-rounder versus Filipino veteran Ronnie Baldonado (16-4-1, 9 KOs).
  At Saturday’s press conference, this is what Inoue and Ramirez had to say:
  Naoya Inoue”Coming up to junior featherweight to be able to challenge Stephen Fulton for the title has given me great motivation. I get excited thinking about this fight and about how I will perform. I’ve been watching film of Fulton, and I think he is a very intelligent fighter.””I haven’t been a challenger in five years, and that has heightened my motivation as well. I think I will be able to perform better than before.””Due to my injury, the fight had to be rescheduled for the 25th. And I feel grateful for the cooperation from all the people involved in the promotion and Team Fulton to make this happen. And because of that gratitude, I want to fight with everything I have on the 25th.”Robeisy Ramirez“I feel great. We’ve had a great training camp. I’m very happy to be in Japan and to get to know this country and its culture. I’m ready for everything that lies ahead.””I don’t know much about my opponent, but as I have said since this fight was presented to me, we all know that Japanese fighters are warriors. I hope he is ready because I am coming at 100 percent.””This is my first defense, and it’s always super important for any champion. This is the next step on my way to becoming the best featherweight in the world. I’m going to be me and have fun, the Robeisy that everyone knows inside the ring.”

  Tuesday, July 25

  ESPN+ (4:30 a.m. ET/1:30 a.m. PT)

  Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue, 12 rounds, Fulton’s WBC/WBO Junior Featherweight World Titles

  Robeisy Ramirez vs. Satoshi Shimizu, 12 rounds, Ramirez’s WBO Featherweight World Title

  Kanamu Sakama vs. Ryu Horikawa, 8 rounds, Light Flyweight

  Yoshiki Takei vs. Ronnie Baldonado, 8 rounds, Junior Featherweight