On Friday, December 30, 2016 Naoya Inoue (12-0, 10 KOs) scored a sixth-round TKO victory against Kohei Kono (32-10-1, 13 KOs) to successfully defend his WBO Super Flyweight title at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue worked a hard jab followed by short hooks to the body and head in each round, which slowly wore Kono down.
In Round 6, as Kono was pushing forward, Inoue landed a short hook that dropped Kono. Kono got back to his feet, but only to be dropped and stopped after another flurry.
Inoue, 23, is a Japanese phenom who made his debut in October of 2012. In only his sixth fight, Inoue fought for the WBC Light Flyweight title.
Inoue defended his title once, and then he fought for the WBO Super Flyweight title, which he currently holds, in December of 2014.
Since then, Inoue has defended his title four times, the former of which occurred today against the 36-year-old native of Japan.
In the co-main event, Akira Yaegashi (25-5, 13 KOs) scored a 12-round TKO victory against Wittawas Basapean (31-6, 12 KOs) to defend his IBF Light Flyweight title.
Check out the full results for the entire card below. What did you think of Inoue’s victory?
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Results:
Naoya Inoue vs. Kohei Kono, 12 rounds, for Inoue’s WBO Super Flyweight title
Inoue knocked out Kono in Round 6.
Akira Yaegashi vs. Wittawas Basapean, 12 rounds, for Yaegashi’s IBF Light flyweight title
Yaegashi scored a 12-round TKO victory.
Ryota Murata vs. Bruno Sandoval, 10 rounds, Middleweights
Murata scored a third-round KO victory.
Ryo Matsumoto vs. Victor Uriel Lopez, 8 rounds, Super Bantamweights
Matsumoto scored a TKO victory against Lopez at 2:45 of Round 6.
Ryuji Hara vs. Hiroya Yamamoto, 8 rounds, Light Flyweight
Hara scored an eight-round UD victory. Hara won the fight with the following scores: 78-74, 78-75, and 77-75
Koki Inoue vs. Futoshiu Usami, 8 rounds, Super Lightweights
Inoue scored a TKO victory at 1:03 of Round 3.
Satoshi Shimizu vs. Carlo Demecillo, 8 rounds, Featherweights
Shimizu scored a third-round KO victory. The time of the stoppage was 1:09 of Round 3.
Andy Hiraoka vs. Naty Yongraska, 6 rounds, Lightweights
Hiraoka scored a first-round KO victory. The time of the stoppage was 1:44 of Round 1.
Photos by Matt Roberts/Getty Images AsiaPac
