Inoue Offered Shot At Fifth Division World Title

Four-division world champion Naoya Inoue has emerged as a potential opponent for WBC featherweight champion Bruce Carrington, who has expressed interest in facing the Japanese star amid uncertainty over a proposed bout with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.

Inoue, 33, is considering a move to the 126-pound division after defending his undisputed super bantamweight championship against Junto Nakatani on May 2.

Carrington, who successfully defended his WBC featherweight title against Rene Palacios in July, wants to welcome the unbeaten Japanese boxer to his weight class.

“He’s talking about coming up to featherweight, so why not get it on with me?” Carrington said.

Meanwhile, Inoue’s proposed fight against Rodriguez remains uncertain because of disagreements over its timing.

Rodriguez, who captured the WBA bantamweight championship from Antonio Vargas in June, wants another fight at 118 pounds before moving up to challenge Inoue.

However, Inoue has indicated that he wants the matchup to take place by February 2027 and is unwilling to wait much longer for Rodriguez.

A move to featherweight, meanwhile, provides Inoue with an opportunity to become a world champion in five weight divisions.