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- What: WBC, WBO, IBF, WBA and The Ring world junior featherweight title
- Who: Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery
- Date: Monday, May 6, 2024
- Time: 4:00 a.m. ET
- Location: Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
- How to Watch: ESPN+
Four-weight world champion Naoya Inoue puts his undisputed junior featherweight title on the line against WBC mandatory challenger and former two-division titleholder Luis Nery on May 6 at the Tokyo Dome. Inoue won the undisputed 122-pound title in December with a 10th-round TKO victory over Marlon Tapales. Nery is on a four-fight winning streak heading into this title fight, which streams on ESPN+. Here is some background on the fighters before we discuss, in detail, the betting breakdown of the Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales bout.
Naoya Inoue (26-0 with 23 knockouts) is the top-ranked fighter at junior featherweight. In addition to that ranking, the 31-year-old is the No. 2 rated fighter in The Ring pound-for-pound listings, where he trails Terence Crawford. Inoue is the first fighter to hold the undisputed title in the four-belt era at junior featherweight. He was also the first fighter to win the undisputed bantamweight championship. He and Crawford are the only two fighters to hold undisputed titles in two weight divisions.
Luis Nery (35-1 with 27 KOs) is the No. 5 fighter in The Ring 122-pound rankings. The 29-year-old won the vacant WBC junior featherweight belt in September 2020 but lost the title in his first attempted defense, falling to Brandon Figueroa by knockout. He is 4-0 with three knockout wins since that setback.
Before we look at the junior featherweight matchup between Naoya Inoue and Marlon Tapales, check out our guide to betting on boxing and our betting picks for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia title fight.
Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |
| Naoya Inoue | -1250 | -1200 | -1430 |
| Luis Nery | +700 | +650 | +730 |
Naoya Inoue betting breakdown
Nicknamed “The Monster,” Naoya Inoue has won titles in four weight divisions during his pro career, which began in 2012: junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight, and now junior featherweight. His past 21 fights have all been for titles. His first fight at 122 pounds came against Stephen Fulton in July 2023. He won that scrap by KO. In his second bout at that weight, he became the undisputed junior featherweight champion after stopping Marlon Tapales in the 10th round of their 12-round battle.
Hailing from Japan, Inoue has a fast jab to the head and body. He uses that lead hand to set up his power punches, including his devastating feint to overhand and a nasty lead-hand hook. Another thing Inoue is very good at is forcing his opponent to open themselves to crushing liver shots. Inoue has seven straight knockout wins.
While he is mainly known for his power, Inoue is more than that. He can control the location and range of the fight. He has good boxing IQ. Finally, the champ pressures at the right time and is capable of setting traps for his opponents. In short, he deserves his high pound-for-pound ranking.
Luis Nery betting breakdown
Luis Nery earned his spot at the top of the WBC ratings thanks to his 11th-round knockout win over Azat Hovhannisyan on February 18, 2023. The 29-year-old held onto that spot with a July knockout win over Froilan Saludar. Nery is rated No. 5 by the WBA and No. 2 by the WBO. The Mexican-born Nery has held the WBC title at bantamweight and junior featherweight.
Nery has good power. He is an accurate puncher who can unload and connect with strong combinations. He is also an effective counterpuncher.
Nery’s 2023 matchup against Azat Hovhannisyan won Fight of the Year honors from The Ring. During that fight, Nery showed a lot of heart, engaging in a war with Hovhannisyan, knocking him down twice before getting the TKO win in the 11th.
This fight is the toughest test of Nery’s career.
Best bets for Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery
As with most of Naoya Inoue’s recent fights, the champ is a massive betting favorite. With that, there is betting value in wagering on Luis Nery to get the upset win. However, I would not advise making a large bet on that outcome, as Inoue has been unbeatable throughout his career. The betting pick is for Naoya Inoue to beat Luis Nery via knockout in the second half of this fight.
See below the best boxing betting sites where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
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