井上尚弥、４団体統一で目指す「パウンド・フォー・パウンド」王者の証明

【東京ＡＦＰ＝時事】ボクシング、ＷＢＡスーパー・ＷＢＣ・ＩＢＦ世界バンタム級王者の井上尚弥が２７日、日本外国特派員協会（ＦＣＣＪ）で会見に臨み、４団体を統一して、新たな「パウンド・フォー・パウンド」王者としての自分の価値を証明したいと語った。（写真はボクシング、ＷＢＡ・ＷＢＣ・ＩＢＦ世界バンタム級王座統一戦。ノニト・ドネア＜右＞からダウンを奪う井上尚弥、資料写真）
　今月、ＷＢＣ同級王者のノニト・ドネア（フィリピン）を２回ＴＫＯで下して３団体統一を果たした井上は、ボクシング専門誌リングマガジンが選定する「パウンド・フォー・パウンド」の１位に浮上した。
　世界ヘビー級王者のオレクサンドル・ウシク（ウクライナ）からトップの座を奪った井上は、ＷＢＯ世界バンタム級王者ポール・バトラー（英国）に打ち勝ち、４団体統一王者になることを熱望している。
　２９歳の井上は「このドネア戦での勝ち方次第では（パウンド・フォー・パウンド）１位になるのかなという思いではいたので、その結果、これ以上ない試合内容で終わることができた。この先は、このパウンド・フォー・パウンド１位という立ち位置にふさわしい試合をこなしていきたい」とすると、「そのためにも４団体統一をした上でスーパーバンタム級に（階級を）上げて、また新たなステージで挑戦していきたい」とコメントした。
　３３歳のバトラーは今年４月、ジョナス・サルタン（フィリピン）を下して暫定王座を獲得。その後、ＷＢＯがジョンリール・カシメロ（フィリピン）の王座を剥奪したため、暫定王者から正規王者に昇格した。
　井上によるとバトラーとの年内の対戦に向けた交渉は「流れ的にはいい」もので、「実現するのなら開催国は日本でも米国でも英国でもどこでもいい」と続けた。
　一方で井上は、スーパーバンタム級が自分にとって「ベストな階級に」なるとしつつ、３５歳で引退する思いを明かした。
　２３戦２３勝（２０ＫＯ）の戦績を誇る井上は「無敗でゴールというものが理想ですけど、ボクシングはそんなに甘くないスポーツ」と語り、「自分がボクシングをやって良かったなと思える３５歳であれば、自分はボクシングをやってきて満足できるのかなと思う」と続けた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/06/28-15:04）

Japan's Naoya Inoue wants to prove he is worthy of his status as boxing's new pound-for-pound king, by becoming undisputed bantamweight world champion, the man known as Monster said Monday.
The ferocious 29-year-old was named The Ring magazine's new pound-for-pound number one last month after demolishing the great Filipino veteran Nonito Donaire inside two rounds to add the WBC bantamweight world title to his WBA and IBF belts.
Inoue replaced Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk at the top of the pound-for-pound tree, and the Japanese fighter is keen to drive the point home by beating Britain's WBO title-holder Paul Butler to become undisputed champion.
People were saying that me becoming the number one pound-for-pound fighter all depended on what happened in the Donaire fight, and things worked out as well as I could have imagined, said Inoue, who is unbeaten in all his 23 fights, winning 20 by knockout.
From here on, I want to give performances worthy of the number one pound-for-pound fighter.
In order to do that, I need to unify the bantamweight world titles and then take on the super-bantamweight division.
The 33-year-old Butler captured previous WBO champion John Riel Casimero's vacant title when he beat Jonas Sultan by unanimous decision in April.
He was elevated from interim to full champion in May when the WBO stripped Casimero of the full title.
- Knockout specialist -
Inoue said negotiations to face Butler before the end of the year are progressing in a good direction and he has no preference about where the fight takes place.
If it happens by the end of this year, I don't care whether it happens in Japan, the US or Britain, he said.
It doesn't really matter to me. I want the fight wherever it is.
Inoue is the first pound-for-pound king to come from Japan, where he is a huge star.
He is also a rare example of a boxer from the lighter weight classes being rated as the world's top fighter.
He said satisfying the fans was just as important to him as winning and he wants to show everyone who comes to watch me what I can do.
I think that's how I've been able to get my record of 23 wins with 20 knockouts, said Inoue, who took up boxing at an early age under the tutelage of his father Shingo, a former amateur.
I always try to knock out my opponent and I think that's been recognised.
Inoue said he believes a step to super-bantamweight would be the best weight class for him, and he intends to retire from the sport when he turns 35.
He acknowledged that boxing is not a sport that you can take lightly but he said he would like to retire with an unbeaten record.
I'd like to think when I turn 35, I will be able to look back and think I was happy that I became a boxer, he said.
If I'm able to feel that, I think I'll be content.