On December 26, Naoya Inoue will enter the ring in a bid to secure his second undisputed championship in just 12 months.
The WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion will take on IBF and WBA counterpart Marlon Tapales at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, exclusively on ESPN+
And this isn’t just any undisputed championship that’s at stake. If Inoue prevails, as is widely expected, then the Japanese star will become the first fighter in boxing history to consolidate all the titles in the super bantamweight division. This 122-pound weight class has been a mainstay in the sport since 1976.
However, despite having all this glory just outside his 67in reach, will a win over Tapales rubber-stamp Inoue as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today?
The battle for pound-for-pound supremacy cannot be settled with fists. Why? Because the two best fighters in the world are currently separated by a 25-pound differential.
The Sporting News, as well as The Ring and ESPN, currently rates welterweight champion Terence Crawford as the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, with Inoue at No.2.
It’s not that Crawford is any more dominant than Inoue, it’s the fact that 2023 was a banner year for the Omaha native who finally entered the ring against friendly rival Errol Spence Jr. in an authentic superfight.
The boxing world waited years for this bout and it was Crawford that turned in a performance for the ages. The 36-year-old switch-hitter floored Spence three times and won seven of the eight completed rounds before punching the fight out of his opponent in the ninth.
“Bud” left the arena that night as the undisputed champ with comparisons to both Sugar Rays ringing in his ears.
While he’s only fought once in 2023, Crawford’s accomplishments, which include WBO and Ring titles at lightweight and the undisputed championship at super lightweight, are the stuff of legend. Like Inoue, he’s approaching his 10th year as a world champion and he's compiled an unblemished 40-0 record.
Although he’s only had 25 fights, Inoue will still be snapping at Crawford’s heels should he prevail in Tokyo. Already a four-weight world champion, his performance level is so impressive that many fans believe that he’s invincible. While Crawford is the accurate sharpshooter who’s impossible to catch, Inoue is “The Monster” who destroys everything in his path.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, exclusively on ESPN+
If Inoue doesn’t secure the No.1 position in the pound-for-pound ratings, then perhaps a trip to featherweight will be the key. Wins over the likes of Robeisy Ramirez and Luis Alberto Lopez would only add to what is already a very special legacy. With that said, we don’t know what career-defining triumphs lie ahead for Crawford.
No matter who’s the best between them, this is one very special era for fight fans and we’re blessed to have both Inoue and Crawford competing at the same time. They’re no longer chasing greatness, they’ve already reached that status. Both men are now on a quest for boxing immortality.