Naoya Inoue KOs Stephen Fulton in RD8, Becomes Four-Division Champion | FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS

Naoya Inoue, the relentless Japanese boxing phenomenon known as "The Monster," showcased his unparalleled skills and cemented his status as one of the world's best fighter across all weight divisions. In a stunning display of power, speed, and footwork, Inoue dominated Stephen Fulton, the reigning champion from Philadelphia, to seize the WBC and WBO junior featherweight titles, making him a world champion in an astounding fourth weight class.

From the opening bell at Tokyo's Ariake Arena, Inoue unleashed a barrage of precise punches that left Fulton struggling to find his footing. Inoue's stabbing jab to the body, blinding hand speed, and elusive in-and-out movement confounded Fulton, rendering his significant physical advantages ineffective. The Japanese prodigy outclassed his opponent, leaving Fulton with a trickle of blood flowing from his nose and forcing him to retreat in the early rounds.

Although Fulton attempted to rally with pockets of success, Inoue's immediate and punishing counters kept him at bay. The slick technician nicknamed "Cool Boy" found himself overpowered and unable to match Inoue's output. Inoue's elusive in-and-out movement troubled Fulton, making him appear tentative and unable to mount a meaningful offense.

In the eighth round, Inoue delivered a final, decisive blow with a precise jab to the body, followed by a concussive right hand to Fulton's head that sent him staggering backward. A left hook followed, sending Fulton crashing to the canvas. While he bravely beat the referee's count, Inoue's relentless assault continued, leaving Fulton no choice but to succumb to the barrage of punches, prompting the referee to stop the fight at the 1:14 mark of the eighth round.

Compubox's punch statistics provided numerical context to the one-sided affair, with Inoue landing an impressive 114 of 379 punches (30%), including an astounding 39% of his power shots, compared to Fulton's 47 of 223 (21%).

This electrifying victory adds another chapter to Inoue's meteoric rise through boxing's weight divisions, reminiscent of Manny Pacquiao's prime. In just one year, the 30-year-old phenom unified all four world titles at bantamweight before conquering the junior featherweight division in style.

Inoue's dominance has not gone unnoticed, as Filipino southpaw Marlon Tapales, who secured the other two major belts at 122lbs with an upset split-decision win over Murodjon Akhmadaliev, has expressed interest in a unification showdown. Both fighters are eager to prove themselves in the ring, and fans can expect a potential clash for the super bantamweight championship before the end of 2023.