NAOYA INOUE stopped Brit Paul Butler in the 11th round of their undisputed bantamweight title fight. Butler covered up for much of the fight and looked to be heading for a points loss before an Inoue onslaught ended things in the penultimate round of the fight.
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Extra time joy
He added: “Thanks to Butler for coming to Japan, I could not have done this without him and I commend him.
“I anticipated a longer bout and I was able to show you more, so I am happy.
“I am satisfied with boxing longer than usual today.”
King’s speech
With an eye on moving up a fourth weight, Inoue says: “I finally became undisputed bantamweight champion, thank you very much.
“This has been a long journey for me but this is the final chapter at bantamweight and I have made it.
“Now I consider to change my division.”
11 heaven
Inoue showing once again why he is a pound-for-pound superstar.
Barely absorbed a blow in almost 11 rounds, yet landed dozens, to become undisputed bantamweight king.
Watch out super-bantams, this Monster is coming.
Inoue way out
Paul Butler worked so hard but could not go the distance.
He had all of his oxygen robbed away by a right hand.
When he backed onto the ropes to regain his breath, Inoue pounced and unloaded until Butler had nowhere to go but down.
Inoue wins KO – R11
Rapid attacks from Inoue as soon as the round starts, three to the head and a whipped hook to the body.
Then Inoue leaps in and ruins Butler’s resolves with brutal body and head blows until he collapses.
Inoue vs Butler – R10
Butler has showed tremendous courage and resilience.
Inoue has thoroughly abused his ribs with hooks and he is still about to bounce and move around the ring.
Such a disciplined performance from Butler. A hard gameplan to stick to, especially under constant fire.
Inoue vs Butler – R10
The commentators are slamming Butler’s negative performance but he is doing his best.
Going toe-to-toe with Inoue gets you beat-up and beaten.
Butler tries an uppercut but is punished with a right hand.
Inoue vs Butler – R9
Butler throwing shots toward the back of this stanza after a slow start.
Inoue has slapped marks into the Englishman’s face in this round.
One right hand went right down the pipe but still didnt wobble the 1-100 underdog.
Inoue vs Butler – R9
Butler bleeding from his right nostril but that’s his only sign of damage after eight one-sided rounds.
No antics from Inoue this round, straight violence.
Butler almost running around the edge of the ring now.
Inoue vs Butler – R8
Most proactive round from Butler, combinations thrown and shots landed.
Inoue sticks his hands behind his back like Roy Jones, chin the sky begging to be hit.
But still Butler cannot land and the pair reset.
Inoue vs Butler – R7
Inoue retreats to the ropes voluntarily and pleads with Butler to engage in a fight.
Butler is frustrating Inoue but not scoring with the judges.
Inoue does an Ali-shuffle but it’s wasted in such a one-sided bout.
Inoue vs Butler – R7
Inoue so eager to catch Butler with a counter that he’s standing in range with his hands down by his waist.
Butler still hesitates to throw and when he does it’s with little conviction.
Inoue is happy to take a couple of jabs – with no guard up – if it creates an opening for him.
Inoue vs Butler – R6
Butler’s tough torso appears able to absorb these Inoue digs.
Inoue drops his hands and showboats, teasing Butler to launch an attack.
Another round for the Japanese Monster.
Inoue vs Butler – R6
A right hook sneaks around Butler’s guard and clips his ear.
A left hook double fromn Butler scores, head and body of Inoue tagged but not hurt.
Butler still so brave.
Inoue vs Butler – R5
Butler still bravely jabbing at Inoue, the Englishman tries and uppercut-hook combination too.
Inoue, in his yellow-tassled boots, is biding his time and waiting for a counter oppotunity.
We are 30 seconds away from Butler winning his first round and then Inoue pins him to the ropes and peppers him again, so it probably slips away.
Inoue vs Butler – R4
Butler gets bullied back into that same neutral corner again and ships a dozen shots.
Inoue is going through the arsenal, a hat-trick of lead uppercuts from the Japan star whip into Butler’s guard.
Another round to Inoue, whitewash so far. 4-0.
Inoue vs Butler – R4
Inoue so relaxed he swings his open arms across his body a couple of times, as part of his warm-up, in round four.
Butler coach Joe Gallagher to show some “SWAGGER”
Not sure how that will help as he gets peppered with violent shots from a mini-Mike Tyson.
Inoue vs Butler – R3
Butler fires off a combination, hooks and right hands to Inoue’s head and body.
Bold attack from the huge underdog but Inoue not hurt.
Butler slips an Inoue right hand and lands his own lead left-hook.
Inoue fires off a volley and a couple land on Butler’s gloves just after the bell.
Inoue vs Butler – R3
Inoue backs Butler into a nutral corner and unloads.
The Cheshire man covers up and blocks and parries well.
Inoue goes to head and body, the leather on skin sound is sickening.
But Butler soaks it up and slips out of the corner.
Inoue vs Butler – R2
Butler throws a right hand but Inoue counters with a little left hook.
Inoue ends the session cracking two trademark left hooks into Butler’s right flank.
But the Brit has ribs of steele and survives another session.
Inoue vs Butler – R2
Right to the head, left to the body from Inoue. Technically superby but Butler blocks.
But Inoue is ruthless and fires off five more rasoing shots.
Everything Inoue throws is a potential KO, nothing is wasted.
Inoue vs Butler – R2
Butler’s defence is watertight but even taking Inoue shots on the gloves and arms will be painful.
Inoue arrows a right to the Butler ribs again.
Butler tries a double-jab that Inoue doesn’t counter.
Inoue vs Butler – R1
Another one-two from Inoue blocked.
Solide defence from the brave Brit.
Inoue attacks the body but Butler’s ribs stand up to the early test.
Round 1 to Inoue.
Inoue vs Butler – R1
Butler jabs and bounces. Inoue stalks.
Inoue leaps in with a left hook that is blocked.
Violent two-punch attack from Inoue but Butler catches both shots on his high guard.
Anthem time
Not a single boo or jeer from the hyper-polite Japanese crowd.
Utterly stinks when Brit fans boo a visiting anthem and it happens regularly these days.
The arena is almost totally silent – a totally differnt vibe to UK shows.
Sweet Caroline a very distant memory – thank Christ.
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